&fje  Mrarp 


of  tfje 


r/ 


WLnibttaitp  of  i^ortfj  Carolina 


€nbotoeb  6p  ®fje  Jltalectic 

anb 

•pbilantfjropu  g>ocietiejS 
Heiai 


u>  *..l:ruisj.j*«ra?ct~*H»>,if 


.  ,  ir 


TSTYIX-*K 


*CH«rSTYLE- 


Ml** 


CRAFTSTfXC  '   " 


3 


iiw«'ii70fncatchapelhill 


JUiSJl 

£1 "" 


n  3B**f  s-utsa  ae  x^sst*  tf \#  • 


/ 


■r- 


HEIDI 

BY  JOHANNA  SPYRI 


V-fc. 


Ml«f  vtH4im(»«<TH 


ILLUSTRATED    BY 

JESSIE  WILLCOX  SMITH 

DAVID  MCKAY  COMPANY 
PHILADELPHIA 

IQ22 

-  ?3Z>J,<' 


i 


r 


)DMEK 


/ 


^ 

Oo 

/^ 


Library,  Un*.  <* 
th  Carolina 

ILLUSTRATIONS 


FACING 
PAGE 


"I  want  to  see  what  you  have  inside  the  house,"  said  Heidi 34 

"You  can  have  that,  I  have  plenty" 52 

"Are  you  the  child  who  lives  up  with  Aim-Uncle,  are  you  Heidi?" .  .  70 

"I  am  never  called  anything  but  Heidi" 104 

So  Heidi  had  plenty  of  time  from  day  to  day  to  sit  and  picture  how 
everything  at  home  was  now  turning  green,  and  how  the  yellow 

flowers  were  shining  in  the  sun 138 

The  moonlight  was  shining  in  through  the  open  door  and  fell  on  a 

white  figure  standing  motionless  in  the  doorway 190 

The  bells  were  ringing  in  every  direction  now,  sounding  louder  and 

fuller  as  they  neared  the  valley 228 

Down  the  mountain  they  shot  like  two  birds  darting  through  the  air .  .  284 

Heidi  introduced  each  in  turn  by  its  name  to  her  friend  Clara 318 

"Put  your  foot  down  firmly  once,"  suggested  Heidi 344 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

University  of  North  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hil 


http://archive.org/details/heidiOOspyri 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

Introduction 9 

I.     Up  the  Mountain  to  Alm-Uncle 13 

II.     At  Home  with  Grandfather 33 

III.  Out  with  the  Goats 45 

IV.  The  Visit  to  Grandmother 65 

V.     Two  Visits  and  What  Came  of  Them 85 

VI.     A  New  Chapter  about  New  Things 101 

VII.  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  Spends  an  Uncomfortable  Day  113 

VIII.    There  is  Great  Commotion  in  the  Large  House 133 

IX.  Herr  Sesemann  Hears  of  Things  that  are  New  to  Him  149 

X.     Another  Grandmother 159 

XI.     Heidi  Gains  in  One  Way  and  Loses  in  Another 173 

XII.     A  Ghost  in  the  House 181 

XIII.  A  Summer  Evening  on  the  Mountain 197 

XIV.  Sunday  Bells 219 

XV.     Preparations  for  a  Journey 237 

XVI.     A  Visitor 247 

XVII.     A  Compensation 261 

XVIII.     Winter  in  Dorfli 273 

XIX.     The  Winter  Continues 289 

XX.     News  from  Distant  Friends 301 

XXI.     How  Life  Went  on  at  Grandfather's 323 

XXII.     Something  Unexpected  Happens 335 

XXIII.     "Good-bye  Till  We  Meet  Again" 355 


INTRODUCTION 

"TT  "TTEIDI"  is  a  delightful  story  for  children  of  life  in 
I 1     the  Alps,  one  of  many  tales  written  by  the  Swiss 

-^-  ■*■  authoress,  Johanna  Spyri,  who  died  in  her  home 
at  Zurich  in  1891.  She  had  been  well  known  to  the  younger 
readers  of  her  own  country  since  1880,  when  she  published  her 
story,  Heimathlos,  which  ran  into  three  or  more  editions,  and 
which,  like  her  other  books,  as  she  states  on  the  title  page,  was 
written  for  those  who  love  children,  as  well  as  for  the  youngsters 
themselves.  Her  own  sympathy  with  the  instincts  and  longings 
of  the  child's  heart  is  shown  in  her  picture  of  Heidi.  The  record 
of  the  early  life  of  this  Swiss  child  amid  the  beauties  of  her 
passionately  loved  mountain-home  and  during  her  exile  in  the 
great  town  has  been  for  many  years  a  favorite  book  of  younger 
readers  in  Germany  and  America. 

Madame  Spyri,  like  Hans  Andersen,  had  by  temperament  a 
peculiar  skill  in  writing  the  simple  histories  of  an  innocent 
world.  In  all  her  stories  she  shows  an  underlying  desire  to 
preserve  children  alike  from  misunderstanding  and  the  mis- 
taken kindness  that  frequently  hinder  the  happiness  and  nat- 
ural development  of  their  lives  and  characters.  The  authoress, 
as  we  feel  in  reading  her  tales,  lived  among  the  scenes  and  peo- 
ple she  describes,  and  the  setting  of  her  stories  has  the  charm 
of  the  mountain  scenery  amid  which  she  places  her  small 
actors. 

Her  chief  works,  besides  Heidi,  were:    Am  Sonntag;   Arthur 

[9] 


INTRODUCTION 

und  Squirrel;  Aus  dem  Leben;  Aus  den  Schweizer  Bergen; 
Aus  Nah  und  Fern;  Aus  unserem  Lande;  Cornelli  wird  erzo- 
gen;  Einer  vom  Hause  Lesa;  10  Geschichten  fiir  Yung  und 
Alt;  Kurze  Geschichten,  2  vols.;  Gritli's  Kinder,  S?  vols.; 
Heimathlos;  Im  Tilonethal;  In  Leuchtensa;  Keiner  zu  Klein 
Heifer  zu  sein;  Onkel  Titus;  Schloss  Wildenstein;  Sina;  Ein 
Goldener  Spruch;  Die  Hauffer  Miihle;  Verschollen,  nicht  ver- 
gessen;  Was  soil  dann  aus  ihr  werden;  Was  aus  ihr  Geworden 
ist. 

M.  E 


[10] 


HEIDI 

CHAPTER  I 
UP  THE  MOUNTAIN  TO  ALM-UNCLE 

FROM  the  old  and  pleasantly  situated  village  of  Mayen- 
feld,  a  footpath  winds  through  green  and  shady  mead- 
ows to  the  foot  of  the  mountains,  which  on  this  side  look 
down  from  their  stern  and  lofty  heights  upon  the  valley  below. 
The  land  grows  gradually  wilder  as  the  path  ascends,  and  the 
climber  has  not  gone  far  before  he  begins  to  inhale  the  fra- 
grance of  the  short  grass  and  sturdy  mountain-plants,  for  the 
way  is  steep  and  leads  directly  up  to  the  summits  above. 

On  a  clear  sunny  morning  in  June  two  figures  might  be  seen 
climbing  the  narrow  mountain  path ;  one  a  tall,  strong-looking 
girl,  the  other  a  child  whom  she  was  leading  by  the  hand,  and 
whose  little  cheeks  were  so  aglow  with  heat  that  the  crimson 
color  could  be  seen  even  through  the  dark,  sunburnt  skin.  And 
this  was  hardly  to  be  wondered  at,  for  in  spite  of  the  hot  June 
sun  the  child  was  clothed  as  if  to  keep  off  the  bitterest  frost. 
She  did  not  look  more  than  five  years  old,  if  as  much,  but  what 
her  natural  figure  was  like,  it  would  have  been  hard  to  say,  for 
she  had  apparently  two,  if  not  three  dresses,  one  above  the 
other,  and  over  these  a  thick  red  woollen  shawl  wound  round 
about  her,  so  that  the  little  body  presented  a  shapeless  appear- 
ance, as,  with  its  small  feet  shod  in  thick,  nailed  mountain- 
shoes,  it  slowly  and  laboriously  plodded  its  way  up  in  the  heat. 

[13]  ' 


HEIDI 

The  two  must  have  left  the  valley  a  good  hour's  walk  behind 
them,  when  they  came  to  the  hamlet  known  as  Dorfli,  which  is 
situated  half-way  up  the  mountain.  Here  the  wayfarers  met 
with  greetings  from  all  sides,  some  calling  to  them  from  win- 
dows, some  from  open  doors,  others  from  outside,  for  the  elder 
girl  was  now  in  her  old  home.  She  did  not,  however,  pause  in 
her  walk  to  respond  to  her  friends'  welcoming  cries  and  ques- 
tions, but  passed  on  without  stopping  for  a  moment  until  she 
reached  the  last  of  the  scattered  houses  of  the  hamlet.  Here  a 
voice  called  to  her  from  the  door:  "Wait  a  moment,  Dete;  if 
you  are  going  up  higher,  I  will  come  with  you." 

The  girl  thus  addressed  stood  still,  and  the  child  immediately 
let  go  her  hand  and  seated  herself  on  the  ground. 

"Are  you  tired,  Heidi?"  asked  her  companion. 

"No,  I  am  hot,"  answered  the  child. 

"We  shall  soon  get  to  the  top  now.  You  must  walk  bravely 
on  a  little  longer,  and  take  good  long  steps,  and  in  another  hour 
we  shall  be  there,"  said  Dete  in  an  encouraging  voice. 

They  were  now  joined  by  a  stout,  good-natured-looking 
woman,  who  walked  on  ahead  with  her  old  acquaintance,  the 
two  breaking  forth  at  once  into  lively  conversation  about 
everybody  and  everything  in  Dorfli  and  its  surroundings,  while 
the  child  wandered  behind  them. 

"And  where  are  you  off  to  with  the  child?"  asked  the  one 
who  had  just  joined  the  party.  "I  suppose  it  is  the  child  your 
sister  left?" 

"Yes,"  answered  Dete.  "I  am  taking  her  up  to  Uncle,  where 
she  must  stay." 

"The  child  stay  up  there  with  Aim-Uncle!  You  must  be  out 

[14] 


UP  THE  MOUNTAIN  TO  ALM-UNCLE 

of  your  senses,  Dete !  How  can  you  think  of  such  a  thing !  The 
old  man,  however,  will  soon  send  you  and  your  proposal  pack- 
ing off  home  again!" 

"He  cannot  very  well  do  that,  seeing  that  he  is  her  grand- 
father. He  must  do  something  for  her.  I  have  had  the  charge 
of  the  child  till  now,  and  I  can  tell  you,  Barbel,  I  am  not  going 
to  give  up  the  chance  which  has  just  fallen  to  me  of  getting  a 
good  place,  for  her  sake.  It  is  for  the  grandfather  now  to  do  his 
duty  by  her." 

"That  would  be  all  very  well  if  he  were  like  other  people," 
asseverated  stout  Barbel  warmly,  "but  you  know  what  he  is. 
And  what  can  he  do  with  a  child,  especially  with  one  so  young! 
The  child  cannot  possibly  live  with  him.  But  where  are  you 
thinking  of  going  yourself?" 

"To  Frankfurt,  where  an  extra  good  place  awaits  me,"  an- 
swered Dete.  "The  people  I  am  going  to  were  down  at  the 
Baths  last  summer,  and  it  was  part  of  my  duty  to  attend  upon 
their  rooms.  They  would  have  liked  then  to  take  me  away 
with  them,  but  I  could  not  leave.  Now  they  are  there  again  and 
have  repeated  their  offer,  and  I  intend  to  go  with  them,  you 
may  make  up  your  mind  to  that! " 

"I  am  glad  I  am  not  the  child!"  exclaimed  Barbel,  with  a 
gesture  of  horrified  pity.  "Not  a  creature  knows  anything 
about  the  old  man  up  there !  He  will  have  nothing  to  do  with 
anybody,  and  never  sets  his  foot  inside  a  church  from  one 
year's  end  to  another.  When  he  does  come  down  once  in  a 
while,  everybody  clears  out  of  the  way  of  him  and  his  big 
stick.  The  mere  sight  of  him,  with  his  bushy  gray  eyebrows 
and  his  immense  beard,  is  alarming  enough.     He  looks  like 

[15] 


HEIDI 

any  old  heathen  or  Indian,  and  few  would  care  to  meet 
him  alone." 

"Well,  and  what  of  that?"  said  Dete,  in  a  defiant  voice,  "he 
is  the  grandfather  all  the  same,  and  must  look  after  the  child. 
He  is  not  likely  to  do  her  any  harm,  and  if  he  does,  he  will  be 
answerable  for  it,  not  I." 

"I  should  very  much  like  to  know,"  continued  Barbel,  in  an 
inquiring  tone  of  voice,  "what  the  old  man  has  on  his  con- 
science that  he  looks  as  he  does,  and  lives  up  there  on  the 
mountain  like  a  hermit,  hardly  ever  allowing  himself  to  be  seen. 
All  kinds  of  things  are  said  about  him.  You,  Dete,  however, 
must  certainly  have  learnt  a  good  deal  concerning  him  from 
your  sister — am  I  not  right?" 

.  "You  are  right,  I  did,  but  I  am  not  going  to  repeat  what  I 
heard;  if  it  should  come  to  his  ears  I  should  get  into  trouble 
about  it." 

Now  Barbel  had  for  long  past  been  most  anxious  to  ascertain 
particulars  about  Aim-Uncle,  as  she  eould  not  understand  why 
he  seemed  to  feel  such  hatred  towards  his  fellow-creatures,  and 
insisted  on  living  all  alone,  or  why  people  spoke  about  him  half 
in  whispers,  as  if  afraid  to  say  anything  against  him,  and  yet 
unwilling  to  take  his  part.  Moreover,  Barbel  was  in  ignorance 
as  to  why  all  the  people  in  Dorfli  called  him  Aim-Uncle,  for  he 
could  not  possibly  be  uncle  to  everybody  living  there.  As,  how- 
ever, it  was  the  custom,  she  did  like  the  rest  and  called  the  old 
man  Uncle.  Barbel  had  only  lived  in  Dorfli  since  her  marriage, 
which  had  taken  place  not  long  before.  Previous  to  that  her 
home  had  been  below  in  Prattigau,  so  that  she  was  not  well 
acquainted  with  all  the  events  that  had  ever  taken  place,  and 

[16] 


UP  THE  MOUNTAIN  TO  ALM-UNCLE 

with  all  the  people  who  had  ever  lived  in  Dorfli  and  its  neigh- 
borhood. Dete,  on  the  contrary,  had  been  born  in  Dorfli,  and 
had  lived  there  with  her  mother  until  the  death  of  the  latter  the 
year  before,  and  had  then  gone  over  to  the  Baths  at  Ragatz  and 
taken  service  in  the  large  hotel  there  as  chambermaid.  On  the 
morning  of  this  day  she  had  come  all  the  way  from  Ragatz  with 
the  child,  a  friend  having  given  them  a  lift  in  a  hay-cart  as  far 
as  Mayenfeld.  Barbel  was  therefore  determined  not  to  lose  this 
good  opportunity  of  satisfying  her  curiosity.  She  put  her  arm 
through  Dete's  in  a  confidential  sort  of  way,  and  said:  "I 
know  I  can  find  out  the  real  truth  from  you,  and  the  meaning  of 
all  these  tales  that  are  afloat  about  him.  I  believe  you  know 
the  whole  story.  Now  do  just  tell  me  what  is  wrong  with  the 
old  man,  and  if  he  was  always  shunned  as  he  is  now,  and  was 
always  such  a  misanthrope." 

"How  can  I  possibly  tell  you  whether  he  was  always  the 
same,  seeing  I  am  only  six-and-twenty  and  he  at  least  seventy 
years  of  age ;  so  you  can  hSrdly  expect  me  to  know  much  about 
his  youth.  If  I  was  sure,  however,  that  what  I  tell  you  would 
not  go  the  whole  round  of  Prattigau,  I  could  relate  all  kinds  of 
things  about  him;  my  mother  came  from  Domleschg,  and  so 
did  he." 

"Nonsense,  Dete,  what  do  you  mean?"  replied  Barbel,  some- 
what offended,  "gossip  has  not  reached  such  a  dreadful  pitch 
in  Prattigau  as  all  that,  and  I  am  also  quite  capable  of  holding 
my  tongue  when  it  is  necessary." 

"Very  well  then,  I  will  tell  you — but  just  wait  a  moment," 
said  Dete  in  a  warning  voice,  and  she  looked  back  to  make  sure 
that  the  child  was  not  near  enough  to  hear  all  she  was  going  to 

[17] 


HEIDI 

relate;  but  the  child  was  nowhere  to  be  seen,  and  must  have 
turned  aside  from  following  her  companions  some  time  before, 
while  these  were  too  eagerly  occupied  with  their  conversation 
to  notice  it.  Dete  stood  still  and  looked  around  her  in  all  direc- 
tions. The  footpath  wound  a  little  here  and  there,  but  could 
nevertheless  be  seen  along  its  whole  length  nearly  to  Dorfli ;  no 
one,  however,  was  visible  upon  it  at  this  moment. 

"I  see  where  she  is,"  exclaimed  Barbel,  "look  over  there!" 
and  she  pointed  to  a  spot  far  away  from  the  footpath.  "  She  is 
climbing  up  the  slope  yonder  with  the  goatherd  and  his  goats. 
I  wonder  why  he  is  so  late  to-day  bringing  them  up.  It  happens 
well,  however,  for  us,  for  he  can  now  see  after  the  child,  and 
you  can  the  better  tell  me  your  tale." 

"Oh,  as  to  the  looking  after,"  remarked  Dete,  "the  boy  need 
not  put  himself  out  about  that;  she  is  not  by  any  means  stupid 
for  her  five  years,  and  knows  how  to  use  her  eyes.  She  notices 
all  that  is  going  on,  as  I  have  often  had  occasion  to  remark,  and 
this  will  stand  her  in  good  stead  some  day,  for  the  old  man  has 
nothing  beyond  his  two  goats  and  his  hut." 

"Did  he  ever  have  more?"  asked  Barbel. 

"He?  I  should  think  so  indeed,"  replied  Dete  with  anima- 
tion; "he  was  owner  once  of  one  of  the  largest  farms  in  Dom- 
leschg.  He  was  the  elder  of  two  brothers;  the  younger  was  a 
quiet,  orderly  man,  but  nothing  would  please  the  other  but  to 
play  the  grand  gentleman  and  go  driving  about  the  country  and 
mixing  with  bad  company,  strangers  that  nobody  knew.  He 
drank  and  gambled  away  the  whole  of  his  property,  and  when 
this  became  known  to  his  mother  and  father  they  died,  one 
shortly  after  the  other,  of  sorrow.   The  younger  brother,  who 

[18] 


UP  THE  MOUNTAIN  TO  ALM-UNCLE 

was  also  reduced  to  beggary,  went  off  in  his  anger,  no  one 
knew  whither,  while  Uncle  himself,  having  nothing  now  left  to 
him  but  his  bad  name,  also  disappeared.  For  some  time  his 
whereabouts  were  unknown,  then  some  one  found  out  that  he 
had  gone  to  Naples  as  a  soldier;  after  that  nothing  more  was 
heard  of  him  for  twelve  or  fifteen  years.  At  the  end  of  that 
time  he  reappeared  in  Domleschg,  bringing  with  him  a  young 
child,  whom  he  tried  to  place  with  some  of  his  kinspeople. 
Every  door,  however,  was  shut  in  his  face,  for  no  one  wished  to 
have  any  more  to  do  with  him.  Embittered  by  this  treatment, 
he  vowed  never  to  set  foot  in  Domleschg  again,  and  he  then 
came  to  Dorfli,  where  he  continued  to  live  with  his  little  boy. 
His  wife  was  probably  a  native  of  the  Grisons,  whom  he  had 
met  down  there,  and  who  died  soon  after  their  marriage.  He 
could  not  have  been  entirely  without  money,  for  he  apprenticed 
his  son,  Tobias,  to  a  carpenter.  He  was  a  steady  lad,  and  kindly 
received  by  every  one  in  Dorfli.  The  old  man  was,  however,  still 
looked  upon  with  suspicion,  and  it  was  even  rumored  that  he  had 
been  forced  to  make  his  escape  from  Naples,  or  it  might  have  gone 
badly  with  him,  for  that  he  had  killed  a  man,  not  in  fair  fight,  you 
understand,  but  in  some  brawl.  We,  however,  did  not  refuse  to 
acknowledge  our  relationship  with  him,  my  great-grandmother 
on  my  mother's  side  having  been  sister  to  his  grandmother. 
So  we  called  him  Uncle,  and  as  through  my  father  we  are  also 
related  to  nearly  every  family  in  Dorfli,  he  became  known  all 
over  the  place  as  Uncle,  and  since  he  went  to  live  on  the  moun- 
tain-side he  has  gone  everywhere  by  the  name  of  Aim-Uncle." 
"And  what  happened  to  Tobias?"  asked  Barbel,  who  was 
listening  with  deep  interest. 

[  19  ] 


HEIDI 

"Wait  a  moment,  I  am  coming  to  that,  but  I  cannot  tell  you 
everything  at  once,"  replied  Dete.  "Tobias  was  taught  his 
trade  in  Mels,  and  when  he  had  served  his  apprenticeship  he 
came  back  to  Dorfli  and  married  my  sister  Adelaide.  They  had 
always  been  fond  of  one  another,  and  they  got  on  very  well 
together  after  they  were  married.  But  their  happiness  did  not 
last  long.  Her  husband  met  with  his  death  only  two  years  after 
their  marriage,  a  beam  falling  upon  him  as  he  was  working,  and 
killing  him  on  the  spot.  They  carried  him  home,  and  when 
Adelaide  saw  the  poor  disfigured  body  of  her  husband  she  was 
so  overcome  with  horror  and  grief  that  she  fell  into  a  fever  from 
which  she  never  recovered.  She  had  always  been  rather  delicate 
and  subject  to  curious  attacks,  during  which  no  one  knew 
whether  she  was  awake  or  sleeping.  And  so  two  months  after 
Tobias  had  been  carried  to  the  grave,  his  wife  followed  him. 
Their  sad  fate  was  the  talk  of  everybody  far  and  near,  and  both 
in  private  and  public  the  general  opinion  was  expressed  that  it 
was  a  punishment  which  Uncle  had  deserved  for  the  godless  life 
he  had  led.  Some  went  so  far  even  as  to  tell  him  so  to  his  face. 
Our  minister  endeavored  to  awaken  his  conscience  and  ex- 
horted him  to  repentance,  but  the  old  man  grew  only  more 
wrathful  and  obdurate  and  would  not  speak  to  a  soul,  and  every 
one  did  their  best  to  keep  out  of  his  way.  All  at  once  we  heard 
that  he  had  gone  to  live  up  the  Aim  and  did  not  intend  ever  to 
come  down  again,  and  since  then  he  has  led  his  solitary  life  on 
the  mountain-side  at  enmity  with  God  and  man.  Mother  and 
I  took  Adelaide's  little  one,  then  only  a  year  old,  into  our  care. 
When  mother  died  last  year,  and  I  went  down  to  the  Baths  to 
earn  some  money,  I  paid  old  Ursel,  who  lives  in  the  village  just 

[  20  ] 


UP  THE  MOUNTAIN  TO  ALM-UNCLE 

above,  to  keep  and  look  after  the  child.  I  stayed  on  at  the 
Baths  through  the  winter,  for  as  I  could  sew  and  knit  I  had  no 
difficulty  in  finding  plenty  of  work,  and  early  in  the  spring  the 
same  family  I  had  waited  on  before  returned  from  Frankfurt, 
and  again  asked  me  to  go  back  with  them.  And  so  we  leave  the 
day  after  to-morrow,  and  I  can  assure  you,  it  is  an  excellent 
place  for  me." 

"And  you  are  going  to  give  the  child  over  to  the  old  man  up 
there?  It  surprises  me  beyond  words  that  you  can  think  of 
doing  such  a  thing,  Dete,"  said  Barbel,  in  a  voice  full  of  re- 
proach. 

"What  do  you  mean?"  retorted  Dete.  "I  have  done  my 
duty  by  the  child,  and  what  would  you  have  me  do  with  it 
now?  I  cannot  certainly  take  a  child  of  five  years  old  with  me 
to  Frankfurt.  But  where  are  you  going  to  yourself,  Barbel;  we 
are  now  half  way  up  the  Aim?  " 

"We  have  just  reached  the  place  I  wanted,"  answered  Bar- 
bel. "I  had  something  to  say  to  the  goatherd's  wife,  who  does 
some  spinning  for  me  in  the  winter.  So  good-bye,  Dete,  and 
good  luck  to  you!" 

•Dete  shook  hands  with  her  friend  and  remained  standing 
while  Barbel  went  towards  a  small,  dark  brown  hut,  which 
stood  a  few  steps  away  from  the  path  in  a  hollow  that  afforded 
it  some  protection  from  the  mountain  wind.  The  hut  was 
situated  half  way  up  the  Aim,  reckoning  from  Dorfli,  and  it  was 
well  that  it  was  provided  with  some  shelter,  for  it  was  so 
broken  down  and  dilapidated  that  even  then  it  must  have  been 
very  unsafe  as  a  habitation,  for  when  the  stormy  south  wind 
came  sweeping  over  the  mountain,  everything  inside  it,  doors 

[21] 


HEIDI 

and  windows,  shook  and  rattled,  and  all  the  rotten  old  beams 
creaked  and  trembled.  On  such  days  as  this,  had  the  goatherd's 
dwelling  been  standing  above  on  the  exposed  mountain-side,  it 
could  not  have  escaped  being  blown  straight  down  into  the 
valley  without  a  moment's  warning. 

Here  lived  Peter,  the  eleven-year-old  boy,  who  every  morn- 
ing went  down  to  Dorfli  to  fetch  his  goats  and  drive  them  up 
on  to  the  mountain,  where  they  were  free  to  browse  till  evening 
on  the  delicious  mountain  plants. 

Then  Peter,  with  his  light-footed  animals,  would  go  running 
and  leaping  down  the  mountain  again  till  he  reached  Dorfli, 
and  there  he  would  give  a  shrill  whistle  through  his  fingers, 
whereupon  all  the  owners  of  the  goats  would  come  out  to  fetch 
home  the  animals  that  belonged  to  them.  It  was  generally  the 
small  boys  and  girls  who  ran  in  answer  to  Peter's  whistle,  for 
they  were  none  of  them  afraid  of  the  gentle  goats,  and  this  was 
the  only  hour  of  the  day  through  all  the  summer  months  that 
Peter  had  any  opportunity  of  seeing  his  young  friends,  since 
the  rest  of  his  time  was  spent  alone  with  the  goats.  He  had  a 
mother  and  a  blind  grandmother  at  home,  it  is  true,  but  he  was 
always  obliged  to  start  off  very  early  in  the  morning,  and  only 
got  home  late  in  the  evening  from  Dorfli,  for  he  always  stayed 
as  long  as  he  could  talking  and  playing  with  the  other  children ; 
and  so  he  had  just  time  enough  at  home,  and  that  was  all,  to 
swallow  down  his  bread  and  milk  in  the  morning,  and  again  in 
the  evening  to  get  through  a  similar  meal,  lie  down  in  bed  and 
go  to  sleep.  His  father,  who  had  been  known  also  as  the 
goatherd,  having  earned  his  living  as  such  when  younger,  had 
been  accidentally  killed  while  cutting  wood  some  years  before. 

[22] 


UP  THE  MOUNTAIN  TO  ALM-UNCLE 

His  mother,  whose  real  name  was  Brigitta,  was  always  called 
the  goatherd's  wife,  for  the  sake  of  old  association,  while  the 
blind  grandmother  was  just  "grandmother"  to  all  the  old  and 
young  in  the  neighborhood. 

Dete  had  been  standing  for  a  good  ten  minutes  looking  about 
her  in  every  direction  for  some  sign  of  the  children  and  the 
goats.  Not  a  glimpse  of  them,  however,  was  to  be  seen,  so  she 
climbed  to  a  higher  spot,  whence  she  could  get  a  fuller  view  of 
the  mountain  as  it  sloped  beneath  her  to  the  valley,  while,  with 
ever-increasing  anxiety  on  her  face  and  in  her  movements,  she 
continued  to  scan  the  surrounding  slopes.  Meanwhile  the  chil- 
dren were  climbing  up  by  a  far  and  roundabout  way,  for  Peter 
knew  many  spots  where  all  kinds  of  good  food,  in  the  shape  of 
shrubs  and  plants,  grew  for  his  goats,  and  he  was  in  the  habit 
of  leading  his  flock  aside  from  the  beaten  track.  The  child,  ex- 
hausted with  the  heat  and  weight  of  her  thick  armor  of  clothes, 
panted  and  struggled  after  him  at  first  with  some  difficulty. 
She  said  nothing,  but  her  little  eyes  kept  watching  first  Peter, 
as  he  sprang  nimbly  hither  and  thither  on  his  bare  feet,  clad 
only  in  his  short  light  breeches,  and  then  the  slim-legged  goats 
that  went  leaping  over  rocks  and  shrubs  and  up  the  steep  as- 
cents with  even  greater  ease.  All  at  once  she  sat  herself  down 
on  the  ground,  and  as  fast  as  her  little  fingers  could  move,  be- 
gan pulling  off  her  shoes  and  stockings.  This  done  she  rose, 
unwound  the  hot  red  shawl  and  threw  it  away,  and  then  pro- 
ceeded to  undo  her  frock.  It  was  off  in  a  second,  but  there  was 
still  another  to  unfasten,  for  Dete  had  put  the  Sunday  frock  on 
over  the  everyday  one,  to  save  the  trouble  of  carrying  it.  Quick 
as  lightning  the  everyday  frock  followed  the  other,  and  now  the 

[23] 


HEIDI 

child  stood  up,  clad  only  in  her  light,  short-sleeved  undergar- 
ment, stretching  out  her  little  bare  arms  with  glee.  She  put  all 
her  clothes  together  in  a  tidy  little  heap,  and  then  went  jump- 
ing and  climbing  up  after  Peter  and  the  goats  as  nimbly  as  any 
one  of  the  party.  Peter  had  taken  no  heed  of  what  the  child 
was  about  when  she  stayed  behind,  but  when  she  ran  up  to 
him  in  her  new  attire,  his  face  broke  into  a  grin,  which  grew 
broader  still  as  he  looked  back  and  saw  the  small  heap  of 
clothes  lying  on  the  ground,  until  his  mouth  stretched  almost 
from  ear  to  ear;  he  said  nothing,  however.  The  child,  able  now 
to  move  at  her  ease,  began  to  enter  into  conversation  with 
Peter,  who  had  many  questions  to  answer,  for  his  companion 
wanted  to  know  how  many  goats  he  had,  where  he  was  going 
to  with  them,  and  what  he  had  to  do  when  he  arrived  there.  At 
last,  after  some  time,  they  and  the  goats  approached  the  hut 
and  came  within  view  of  Cousin  Dete.  Hardly  had  the  latter 
caught  sight  of  the  little  company  climbing  up  towards  her 
when  she  shrieked  out:  "Heidi,  what  have  you  been  doing! 
What  a  sight  you  have  made  of  yourself !  And  where  are  your 
two  frocks  and  the  red  wrapper?  And  the  new  shoes  I  bought, 
and  the  new  stockings  I  knitted  for  you — everything  gone !  not 
a  thing  left !  What  can  you  have  been  thinking  of,  Heidi !  where 
are  all  your  clothes?" 

The  child  quietly  pointed  to  a  spot  below  on  the  mountain- 
side and  answered,  "Down  there."  Dete  followed  the  direction 
of  her  finger;  she  could  just  distinguish  something  lying  on  the 
ground,  with  a  spot  of  red  on  the  top  of  it  which  she  had  no 
doubt  was  the  woollen  wrapper. 

"You  good-for-nothing  little  thing!"  exclaimed  Dete  angrily, 

[24] 


UP  THE  MOUNTAIN  TO  ALM-UNCLE 

"what  could  have  put  it  into  your  head  to  do  like  that?  What 
made  you  undress  yourself?   What  do  you  mean  by  it? 

"I  don't  want  any  clothes,"  said  the  child,  not  showing  any 
sign  of  repentance  for  her  past  deed. 

"You  wretched,  thoughtless  child!  have  you  no  sense  in  you 
at  all?"  continued  Dete,  scolding  and  lamenting.  "Who  is 
going  all  that  way  down  to  fetch  them;  it's  a  good  half -hour's 
walk!  Peter,  you  go  off  and  fetch  them  for  me  as  quickly  as 
you  can,  and  don't  stand  there  gaping  at  me,  as  if  you  were 
rooted  to  the  ground ! " 

"I  am  already  past  my  time,"  answered  Peter  slowly,  with- 
out moving  from  the  spot  where  he  had  been  standing  with  his 
hands  in  his  pockets,  listening  to  Dete's  outburst  of  dismay 
and  anger. 

"Well,  you  won't  get  far  if  you  only  keep  on  standing  there 
with  your  eyes  staring  out  of  your  head,"  was  Dete's  cross  re- 
ply; "but  see,  you  shall  have  something  nice,"  and  she  held 
out  a  bright  new  piece  of  money  to  him  that  sparkled  in  the 
sun.  Peter  was  immediately  up  and  off  down  the  steep  moun- 
tain-side, taking  the  shortest  cut,  and  in  an  incredibly  short 
space  of  time  had  reached  the  little  heap  of  clothes,  which  he 
gathered  up  under  his  arm,  and  was  back  again  so  quickly  that 
even  Dete  was  obliged  to  give  him  a  word  of  praise  as  she 
handed  him  the  promised  money.  Peter  promptly  thrust  it  into 
his  pocket  and  his  face  beamed  with  delight,  for  it  was  not  often 
that  he  was  the  happy  possessor  of  such  riches. 

"You  can  carry  the  things  up  for  me  as  far  as  Uncle's,  as 
you  are  going  the  same  way,"  went  on  Dete,  who  was  prepar- 
ing to  continue  her  climb  up  the  mountain-side,  which  rose  in 

[25] 


HEIDI 

a  steep  ascent  immediately  behind  the  goatherd's  hut.  Peter 
willingly  undertook  to  do  this,  and  followed  after  her  on  his 
bare  feet,  with  his  left  arm  round  the  bundle  and  the  right 
swinging  his  goatherd's  stick,  while  Heidi  and  the  goats  went 
skipping  and  jumping  joyfully  beside  him.  After  a  climb  of 
more  than  three-quarters  of  an  hour  they  reached  the  top  of 
the  Aim  mountain.  Uncle's  hut  stood  on  a  projection  of  the 
rock,  exposed  indeed  to  the  winds,  but  where  every  ray  of  sun 
could  rest  upon  it,  and  a  full  view  could  be  had  of  the  valley 
beneath.  Behind  the  hut  stood  three  old  fir  trees,  with  long, 
thick,  unlopped  branches.  Beyond  these  rose  a  further  wall  of 
mountam,  the  lower  heights  still  overgrown  with  beautiful  grass 
and  plants,  above  which  were  stonier  slopes,  covered  only  with 
scrub,  that  led  gradually  up  to  the  steep,  bare,  rocky  summits. 

Against  the  hut,  on  the  side  looking  towards  the  valley, 
Uncle  had  put  up  a  seat.  Here  he  was  sitting,  his  pipe  in  his 
mouth  and  his  hands  on  his  knees,  quietly  looking  out,  when 
the  children,  the  goats  and  Cousin  Dete  suddenly  clambered 
into  view.  Heidi  was  at  the  top  first.  She  went  straight  up 
to  the  old  man,  put  out  her  hand,  and  said,  "  Good-evening, 
Grandfather. " 

"So,  so,  what  is  the  meaning  of  this?"  he  asked  gruffly,  as 
he  gave  the  child  an  abrupt  shake  of  the  hand,  and  gazed  long 
and  scrutinizingly  at  her  from  under  his  bushy  eyebrows. 
Heidi  stared  steadily  back  at  him  in  return  with  unflinching 
gaze,  for  the  grandfather,  with  his  long  beard  and  thick  gray 
eyebrows  that  grew  together  over  his  nose  and  looked  just  like 
a  bush,  had  such  a  remarkable  appearance,  that  Heidi  was 
unable  to  take  her  eyes  off  him.  Meanwhile  Dete  had  come  up, 

[26] 


UP  THE  MOUNTAIN  TO  ALM-UNCLE 

with  Peter  after  her,  and  the  latter  now  stood  still  a  while  to 
watch  what  was  going  on. 

"I  wish  you  good-day,  Uncle,"  said  Dete,  as  she  walked 
towards  him,  "  and  I  have  brought  you  Tobias'  and  Adelaide's 
child.  You  will  hardly  recognize  her,  as  you  have  never  seen 
her  since  she  was  a  year  old. " 

"And  what  has  the  child  to  do  with  me  up  here?  "  asked  the 
old  man  curtly.  "You  there,"  he  then  called  out  to  Peter, 
"be  off  with  your  goats,  you  are  none  too  early  as  it  is,  and 
take  mine  with  you." 

Peter  obeyed  on  the  instant  and  quickly  disappeared,  for  the 
old  man  had  given  him  a  look  that  made  him  feel  that  he  did 
not  want  to  stay  any  longer. 

"The  child  is  here  to  remain  with  you,"  Dete  made  answer. 
"I  have,  I  think,  done  my  duty  by  her  for  these  four  years,  and 
now  it  is  time  for  you  to  do  yours." 

"That's  it,  is  it?"  said  the  old  man,  as  he  looked  at  her  with 
a  flash  in  his  eye.  "And  when  the  child  begins  to  fret  and 
whine  after  you,  as  is  the  way  with  these  unreasonable  little 
beings,  what  am  I  to  do  with  her  then?  " 

"That's  your  affair,"  retorted  Dete.  "I  know  I  had  to  put 
up  with  her  without  complaint  when  she  was  left  on  my  hands 
as  an  infant,  and  with  enough  to  do  as  it  was  for  my  mother  and 
self.  Now  I  have  to  go  and  look  after  my  own  earnings,  and 
you  are  the  next  of  kin  to  the  child.  If  you  cannot  arrange  to 
keep  her,  do  with  her  as  you  like.  You  will  be  answerable  for 
the  result  if  harm  happens  to  her,  though  you  have  hardly 
need,  I  should  think,  to  add  to  the  burden  already  on  your 
conscience." 

[27] 


HEIDI 

Now  Dete  was  not  quite  easy  in  her  own  conscience  about 
what  she  was  doing,  and  consequently  was  feeling  hot  and  irri- 
table, and  said  more  than  she  had  intended.  As  she  uttered  her 
last  words,  Uncle  rose  from  his  seat.  He  looked  at  her  in  a  way 
that  made  her  draw  back  a  step  or  two,  then  flinging  out  his 
arm,  he  said  to  her  in  a  commanding  voice:  "Be  off  with  you 
this  instant,  and  get  back  as  quickly  as  you  can  to  the  place 
whence  you  came,  and  do  not  let  me  see  your  face  again  in  a 
hurry." 

Dete  did  not  wait  to  be  told  twice.  "Good-bye  to  you  then, 
and  to  you  too,  Heidi,"  she  called,  as  she  turned  quickly  away 
and  started  to  descend  the  mountain  at  a  running  pace,  which 
she  did  not  slacken  till  she  found  herself  safely  again  at  Dorfli,  for 
some  inward  agitation  drove  her  forwards  as  if  a  steam-engine 
was  at  work  inside  her.  Again  questions  came  raining  down 
upon  her  from  all  sides,  for  every  one  knew  Dete,  as  well  as  all 
particulars  of  the  birth  and  former  history  of  the  child,  and  all 
wondered  what  she  had  done  with  it.  From  every  door  and 
window  came  voices  calling:  "Where  is  the  child?"  "Where 
have  you  left  the  child,  Dete?"  and  more  and  more  reluctantly 
Dete  made  answer,  "Up  there  with  Aim-Uncle!"  "With  Aim- 
Uncle,  have  I  not  told  you  so  already?  " 

Then  the  women  began  to  hurl  reproaches  at  her;  first  one 
cried  out,  "How  could  you  do  such  a  thing!"  then  another, 
"To  think  of  leaving  a  helpless  little  thing  up  there,"  while 
again  and  again  came  the  words,  "The  poor  mite!  the  poor 
mite!"  pursuing  her  as  she  went  along.  Unable  at  last  to  bear 
it  any  longer  Dete  ran  forward  as  fast  as  she  could  until  she 
was  beyond  reach  of  their  voices.    She  was  far  from  happy  at 

[28] 


UP  THE  MOUNTAIN  TO  ALM-UNCLE 

the  thought  of  what  she  had  done,  for  the  child  had  been  left 
in  her  care  by  her  dying  mother.  She  quieted  herself,  however, 
with  the  idea  that  she  would  be  better  able  to  do  something  for 
the  child  if  she  was  earning  plenty  of  money,  and  it  was 
a  relief  to  her  to  think  that  she  would  soon  be  far  away  from  all 
these  people  who  were  making  such  a  fuss  about  the  matter, 
and  she  rejoiced  further  still  that  she  was  at  liberty  now  to  take 
such  a  good  place. 


[29] 


BS8EB8S88KHS3SSSIK5R 


CHAPTER  II 
AT  HOME  WITH  GRANDFATHER 

A  S  SOON  as  Dete  had  disappeared  the  old  man  went  back 

L-\^  to  his  bench,  and  there  he  remained  seated,  staring  on 
■^  •••  the  ground  without  uttering  a  sound,  while  thick  curls 
of  smoke  floated  upward  from  his  pipe.  Heidi,  meanwhile,  was 
enjoying  herself  in  her  new  surroundings ;  she  looked  about  till 
she  found  a  shed,  built  against  the  hut,  where  the  goats  were 
kept;  she  peeped  in,  and  saw  it  was  empty.  She  continued  her 
search  and  presently  came  to  the  fir  trees  behind  the  hut.  A 
strong  breeze  was  blowing  through  them,  and  there  was  a  rush- 
ing and  roaring  in  their  topmost  branches.  Heidi  stood  still  and 
listened.  The  sound  growing  fainter,  she  went  on  again,  to  the 
farther  corner  of  the  hut,  and  so  round  to  where  her  grand- 
father was  sitting.  Seeing  that  he  was  in  exactly  the  same  posi- 
tion as  when  she  left  him,  she  went  and  placed  herself  in  front 
of  the  old  man,  and  putting  her  hands  behind  her  back,  stood 
and  gazed  at  him.  Her  grandfather  looked  up,  and  as  she  con- 
tinued standing  there  without  moving,  "What  is  it  you  want?" 
he  asked. 

"I  want  to  see  what  you  have  inside  the  house,"  said  Heidi. 

"Come  then!"  and  the  grandfather  rose  and  went  before  her 
towards  the  hut. 

"Bring  your  bundle  of  clothes  in  with  you,"  he  bid  her  as  she 
was  following. 

"I  shan't  want  them  any  more,"  was  her  prompt  answer. 

[33] 


HEIDI 

The  old  man  turned  and  looked  searchingly  at  the  child, 
whose  dark  eyes  were  sparkling  in  delighted  anticipation  of 
what  she  was  going  to  see  inside.  "She  is  certainly  not  wanting 
in  intelligence,"  he  murmured  to  himself.  "And  why  shall  you 
not  want  them  any  more?"  he  asked  aloud. 

"Because  I  want  to  go  about  like  the  goats  with  their  thin 
light  legs." 

"Well,  you  can  do  so  if  you  like,"  said  her  grandfather,  "but 
bring  the  things  in,  we  must  put  them  in  the  cupboard." 

Heidi  did  as  she  was  told.  The  old  man  now  opened  the  door 
and  Heidi  stepped  inside  after  him ;  she  found  herself  in  a  good- 
sized  room,  which  covered  the  whole  ground  floor  of  the  hut.  A 
table  and  a  chair  were  the  only  furniture;  in  one  corner  stood 
the  grandfather's  bed,  in  another  was  the  hearth  with  a  large 
kettle  hanging  above  it;  and  on  the  further  side  was  a  large 
door  in  the  wall — this  was  the  cupboard.  The  grandfather 
opened  it;  inside  were  his  clothes,  some  hanging  up,  others,  a 
couple  of  shirts,  and  some  socks  and  handkerchiefs,  lying  on  a 
shelf;  on  a  second  shelf  were  some  plates  and  cups  and  glasses, 
and  on  a  higher  one  still,  a  round  loaf,  smoked  meat,  and 
cheese,  for  everything  that  Aim-Uncle  needed  for  his  food  and 
clothing  was  kept  in  this  cupboard.  Heidi,  as  soon  as  it  was 
opened,  ran  quickly  forward  and  thrust  in  her  bundle  of  clothes, 
as  far  back  behind  her  grandfather's  things  as  possible,  so  that 
they  might  not  easily  be  found  again.  She  then  looked  care- 
fully round  the  room,  and  asked,  "Where  am  I  to  sleep,  grand- 
father?" 

"Wherever  you  like,"  he  answered. 

Heidi  was  delighted,  and  began  at  once  to  examine  all  the 

[  34  ] 


©DM?K 


"  I  want  to  see  what  you  have  inside  the  house," 
said  Heidi.     {Page  33) 


AT  HOME  WITH  GRANDFATHER 

nooks  and  corners  to  find  out  where  it  would  be  pleasantest  to 
sleep.  In  the  corner  near  her  grandfather's  bed  she  saw  a  short 
ladder  against  the  wall;  up  she  climbed  and  found  herself  in 
the  hay  loft.  There  lay  a  large  heap  of  fresh,  sweet-smelling  hay, 
while  through  a  round  window  in  the  wall  she  could  see  right 
down  the  valley. 

"I  shall  sleep  up  here,  grandfather,"  she  called  down  to  him, 
"It's  lovely,  up  here.   Come  up  and  see  how  lovely  it  is!" 

"Oh,  I  know  all  about  it,"  he  called  up  in  answer. 

"I  am  getting  the  bed  ready  now,"  she  called  down  again,  as 
she  went  busily  to  and  fro  at  her  work,  "but  I  shall  want  you 
to  bring  me  up  a  sheet ;  you  can't  have  a  bed  without  a  sheet, 
you  want  it  to  lie  upon." 

"All  right,"  said  the  grandfather,  and  presently  he  went  to 
the  cupboard,  and  after  rummaging  about  inside  for  a  few 
minutes  he  drew  out  a  long,  coarse  piece  of  stuff,  which  was  all 
he  had  to  do  duty  for  a  sheet.  He  carried  it  up  to  the  loft, 
where  he  found  Heidi  had  already  made  quite  a  nice  bed.  She 
had  put  an  extra  heap  of  hay  at  one  end  for  a  pillow,  and  had  so 
arranged  it  that,  when  in  bed,  she  would  be  able  to  see  com- 
fortably out  through  the  round  window. 

"That  is  capital,"  said  her  grandfather;  "now  we  must  put 
on  the  sheet,  but  wait  a  moment  first,"  and  he  went  and  fetched 
another  large  bundle  of  hay  to  make  the  bed  thicker,  so  that  the 
child  should  not  feel  the  hard  floor  under  her — "there,  now 
bring  it  here."  Heidi  had  got  hold  of  the  sheet,  but  it  was  al- 
most too  heavy  for  her  to  carry;  this  was  a  good  thing,  how- 
ever, as  the  close  thick  stuff  would  prevent  the  sharp  stalks  of 
the  hay  running  through  and  pricking  her.   The  two  together 

[35] 


HEIDI 

now  spread  the  sheet  over  the  bed,  and  where  it  was  too  long 
or  too  broad,  Heidi  quickly  tucked  it  in  under  the  hay.  It 
looked  now  as  tidy  and  comfortable  a  bed  as  you  could  wish  for, 
and  Heidi  stood  gazing  thoughtfully  at  her  handiwork. 

"We  have  forgotten  something  now,  grandfather,"  she  said 
after  a  short  silence. 

"What's  that?"  he  asked. 

"A  coverlid;  when  you  get  into  bed,  you  have  to  creep  in 
between  the  sheets  and  the  coverlid." 

"Oh,  that's  the  way,  is  it?  But  suppose  I  have  not  got  a 
coverlid?"  said  the  old  man. 

"Well,  never  mind,  grandfather,"  said  Heidi  in  a  consoling 
tone  of  voice,  "I  can  take  some  more  hay  to  put  over  me,"  and 
she  was  turning  quickly  to  fetch  another  armful  from  the  heap, 
when  her  grandfather  stopped  her.  "Wait  a  moment,"  he  said, 
and  he  climbed  down  the  ladder  again  and  went  towards  his 
bed.  He  returned  to  the  loft  with  a  large,  thick  sack,  made  of 
flax,  which  he  threw  down,  exclaiming,  "There,  that  is  better 
than  hay,  is  it  not?" 

Heidi  began  tugging  away  at  the  sack  with  all  her  little 
might,  in  her  efforts  to  get  it  smooth  and  straight,  but  her  small 
hands  were  not  fitted  for  so  heavy  a  job.  Her  grandfather  came 
to  her  assistance,  and  when  they  had  got  it  tidily  spread  over 
the  bed,  it  all  looked  so  nice  and  warm  and  comfortable  that 
Heidi  stood  gazing  at  it  in  delight.  "That  is  a  splendid  cover- 
lid," she  said,  "and  the  bed  looks  lovely  altogether!  I  wish  it 
was  night,  so  that  I  might  get  inside  it  at  once." 

"I  think  we  might  have  something  to  eat  first,"  said  the 
grandfather,  "what  do  you  think?" 

[36] 


AT  HOME  WITH  GRANDFATHER 

Heidi  in  the  excitement  of  bed-making  had  forgotten  every- 
thing else;  but  now  when  she  began  to  think  about  food  she 
felt  terribly  hungry,  for  she  had  had  nothing  to  eat  since  the 
piece  of  bread  and  little  cup  of  thin  coffee  that  had  been  her 
breakfast  early  that  morning  before  starting  on  her  long,  hot 
journey.  So  she  answered  without  hesitation,  "Yes,  I  think  so 
too." 

"Let  us  go  down  then,  as  we  both  think  alike,"  said  the  old 
man,  and  he  followed  the  child  down  the  ladder.  Then  he  went 
up  to  the  hearth,  pushed  the  big  kettle  aside,  and  drew  forward 
the  little  one  that  was  hanging  on  the  chain,  and  seating  him- 
self on  the  round-topped,  three-legged  stool  before  the  fire,  blew 
it  up  into  a  clear  bright  flame.  The  kettle  soon  began  to  boil, 
and  meanwhile  the  old  man  held  a  large  piece  of  cheese  on  a 
long  iron  fork  over  the  fire,  turning  it  round  and  round  till  it 
was  toasted  a  nice  golden  yellow  color  on  each  side.  Heidi 
watched  all  that  was  going  on  with  eager  curiosity.  Suddenly 
some  new  idea  seemed  to  come  into  her  head,  for  she  turned  and 
ran  to  the  cupboard,  and  then  began  going  busily  backwards 
and  forwards.  Presently  the  grandfather  got  up  and  came  to 
the  table  with  a  jug  and  the  cheese,  and  there  he  saw  it  already 
tidily  laid  with  the  round  loaf  and  two  plates  and  two  knives, 
each  in  its  right  place;  for  Heidi  had  taken  exact  note  that 
morning  of  all  that  there  was  in  the  cupboard,  and  she  knew 
which  things  would  be  wanted  for  their  meal. 

"Ah,  that's  right,"  said  the  grandfather,  "I  am  glad  to  see 
that  you  have  some  ideas  of  your  own,"  and  as  he  spoke  he  laid 
the  toasted  cheese  on  a  layer  of  bread,  "but  there  is  still  some- 
thing missing." 

[37] 


HEIDI 

Heidi  looked  at  the  jug  that  was  steaming  away  invitingly, 
and  ran  quickly  back  to  the  cupboard.  At  first  she  could  only  see 
a  small  bowl  left  on  the  shelf,  but  she  was  not  long  in  perplexity, 
for  a  moment  later  she  caught  sight  of  two  glasses  further 
back,  and  without  an  instant's  loss  of  time  she  returned 
with  these  and  the  bowl  and  put  them  down  on  the  table. 

"Good!  I  see  you  know  how  to  set  about  things;  but  what 
will  you  do  for  a  seat?  "  The  grandfather  himself  was  sitting  on 
the  only  chair  in  the  room.  Heidi  flew  to  the  hearth,  and  drag- 
ging the  three-legged  stool  up  to  the  table,  sat  herself  down 
upon  it. 

"Well,  you  have  managed  to  find  a  seat  for  yourself,  I  see, 
only  rather  a  low  one  I  am  afraid,"  said  the  grandfather,  "but 
you  would  not  be  tall  enough  to  reach  the  table  even  if  you  sat 
in  my  chair;  the  first  thing  now,  however,  is  to  have  something 
to  eat,  so  come  along." 

With  that  he  stood  up,  filled  the  bowl  with  milk,  and  placing 
it  on  the  chair,  pushed  it  in  front  of  Heidi  on  her  little  three- 
legged  stool,  so  that  she  now  had  a  table  to  herself.  Then  he 
brought  her  a  large  slice  of  bread  and  a  piece  of  the  golden 
cheese,  and  told  her  to  eat.  After  which  he  went  and  sat  down 
on  the  corner  of  the  table  and  began  his  own  meal.  Heidi  lifted 
the  bowl  with  both  hands  and  drank  without  pause  till  it  was 
empty,  for  the  thirst  of  all  her  long  hot  journey  had  returned 
upon  her.  Then  she  drew  a  deep  breath — in  the  eagerness  of 
her  thirst  she  had  not  stopped  to  breathe — and  put  down  the 
bowl. 

"Was  the  milk  nice?"  asked  her  grandfather. 

"I  never  drank  any  so  good  before,"  answered  Heidi. 

[38] 


AT  HOME  WITH  GRANDFATHER 

"Then  you  must  have  some  more,"  and  the  old  man  filled 
her  bowl  again  to  the  brim  and  set  it  before  the  child,  who  was 
now  hungrily  beginning  her  bread,  having  first  spread  it  with 
the  cheese,  which  after  being  toasted  was  soft  as  butter;  the 
two  together  tasted  deliriously,  and  the  child  looked  the  pic- 
ture of  content  as  she  sat  eating,  and  at  intervals  taking  further 
draughts  of  milk.  The  meal  being  over,  the  grandfather  went 
outside  to  put  the  goat-shed  in  order,  and  Heidi  watched  with 
interest  while  he  first  swept  it  out,  and  then  put  fresh  straw  for 
the  goats  to  sleep  upon.  Then  he  went  to  the  little  well-shed, 
and  there  he  cut  some  long  round  sticks,  and  a  small  round 
board;  in  this  he  bored  some  holes  and  stuck  the  sticks  into 
them,  and  there,  as  if  made  by  magic,  was  a  three-legged  stool 
just  like  her  grandfather's,  only  higher.  Heidi  stood  and  looked 
at  it,  speechless  with  astonishment. 

"What  do  you  think  that  is?"  asked  her  grandfather. 

"It's  my  stool,  I  know,  because  it  is  such  a  high  one;  and  it 
was  made  all  of  a  minute,"  said  the  child,  still  lost  in  wonder 
and  admiration. 

"She  understands  what  she  sees,  her  eyes  are  in  the  right 
place,"  remarked  the  grandfather  to  himself,  as  he  continued 
his  way  round  the  hut,  knocking  in  a  nail  here  and  there,  or 
making  fast  some  part  of  the  door,  and  so  with  hammer  and 
nails  and  pieces  of  wood  going  from  spot  to  spot,  mending  or 
clearing  away  wherever  work  of  the  kind  was  needed.  Heidi 
followed  him  step  by  step,  her  eyes  attentively  taking  in  all  that 
he  did,  and  everything  that  she  saw  was  a  fresh  source  of 
pleasure  to  her. 

And  so  the  time  passed  happily  on  till  evening.    Then  the 

[39] 


HEIDI 

wind  began  to  roar  louder  than  ever  through  the  old  fir  trees; 
Heidi  listened  with  delight  to  the  sound,  and  it  filled  her  heart 
so  full  of  gladness  that  she  skipped  and  danced  round  the  old 
trees,  as  if  some  unheard-of  joy  had  come  to  her.  The  grand- 
father stood  and  watched  her  from  the  shed. 

Suddenly  a  shrill  whistle  was  heard.  Heidi  paused  in  her 
dancing,  and  the  grandfather  came  out.  Down  from  the  heights 
above  the  goats  came  springing  one  after  another,  with  Peter  in 
their  midst.  Heidi  sprang  forward  with  a  cry  of  joy  and  rushed 
among  the  flock,  greeting  first  one  and  then  another  of  her  old 
friends  of  the  morning.  As  they  neared  the  hut  the  goats  stood 
still,  and  then  two  of  their  number,  two  beautiful  slender  ani- 
mals, one  white  and  one  brown,  ran  forward  to  where  the 
grandfather  was  standing  and  began  licking  his  hands,  for  he 
was  holding  a  little  salt  which  he  always  had  ready  for  his 
goats  on  their  return  home.  Peter  disappeared  with  the  re- 
mainder of  his  flock.  Heidi  tenderly  stroked  the  two  goats  in 
turn,  running  first  to  one  side  of  them  and  then  the  other,  and 
jumping  about  in  her  glee  at  the  pretty  little  animals.  "Are 
they  ours,  grandfather?  Are  they  both  ours?  Are  you  going  to 
put  them  in  the  shed?  Will  they  always  stay  with  us?" 

Heidi's  questions  came  tumbling  out  one  after  the  other,  so 
that  her  grandfather  had  only  time  to  answer  each  of  them 
with  "Yes,  yes."  When  the  goats  had  finished  licking  up  the 
salt  her  grandfather  told  her  to  go  and  fetch  her  bowl  and  the 
bread. 

Heidi  obeyed  and  was  soon  back  again.  The  grandfather 
milked  the  white  goat  and  filled  her  basin,  and  then  breaking  off 
a  piece  of  bread,  "Now  eat  your  supper,"  he  said,  "and  then 

[40] 


AT  HOME  WITH  GRANDFATHER 

go  up  to  bed.  Cousin  Dete  left  another  little  bundle  for  you 
with  a  nightgown  and  other  small  things  in  it,  which  you  will 
find  at  the  bottom  of  the  cupboard  if  you  want  them.  I  must  go 
and  shut  up  the  goats,  so  be  off  and  sleep  well." 

"Good-night,  grandfather!  good-night.  What  are  their 
names,  grandfather,  what  are  their  names?"  she  called  out  as 
she  ran  after  his  retreating  figure  and  the  goats. 

"The  white  one  is  named  Little  Swan,  and  the  brown  one 
Little  Bear,"  he  answered. 

"Good-night,  Little  Swan,  good-night,  Little  Bear!"  she 
called  again  at  the  top  of  her  voice,  for  they  were  already  inside 
the  shed.  Then  she  sat  down  on  the  seat  and  began  to  eat  and 
drink,  but  the  wind  was  so  strong  that  it  almost  blew  her  away ; 
so  she  made  haste  and  finished  her  supper  and  then  went  in- 
doors and  climbed  up  to  her  bed,  where  she  was  soon  lying  as 
sweetly  and  soundly  asleep  as  any  young  princess  on  her  couch 
of  silk. 

Not  long  after,  and  while  it  was  still  twilight,  the  grandfather 
also  went  to  bed,  for  he  was  up  every  morning  at  sunrise,  and 
the  sun  came  climbing  up  over  the  mountains  at  a  very  early 
hour  during  these  summer  months.  The  wind  grew  so  tem- 
pestuous during  the  night,  and  blew  in  such  gusts  against  the 
walls,  that  the  hut  trembled  and  the  old  beams  groaned  and 
creaked.  It  came  howling  and  wailing  down  the  chimney  like 
voices  of  those  in  pain,  and  it  raged  with  such  fury  among  the 
old  fir  trees  that  here  and  there  a  branch  was  snapped  and  fell. 
In  the  middle  of  the  night  the  old  man  got  up.  "The  child  will 
be  frightened,"  he  murmured  half  aloud.  He  mounted  the 
ladder  and  went  and  stood  by  the  child's  bed. 

[41] 


HEIDI 

Outside  the  moon  was  struggling  with  the  dark,  fast-driving 
clouds,  which  at  one  moment  left  it  clear  and  shining,  and  the 
next  swept  over  it,  and  all  again  was  dark.  Just  now  the  moon- 
light was  falling  through  the  round  window  straight  on  to 
Heidi's  bed.  She  lay  under  the  heavy  coverlid,  her  cheeks  rosy 
with  sleep,  her  head  peacefully  resting  on  her  little  round  arm, 
and  with  a  happy  expression  on  her  baby  face  as  if  dreaming  of 
something  pleasant.  The  old  man  stood  looking  down  on  the 
sleeping  child  until  the  moon  again  disappeared  behind  the 
clouds  and  he  could  see  no  more,  then  he  went  back  to  bed. 


[42] 


CHAPTER  III 
OUT  WITH  THE  GOATS 

HEIDI  was  awakened  early  the  next  morning  by  a  loud 
whistle;  the  sun  was  shining  through  the  round  win- 
dow and  falling  in  golden  rays  on  her  bed  and  on  the 
large  heap  of  hay,  and  as  she  opened  her  eyes  everything  in 
the  loft  seemed  gleaming  with  gold.  She  looked  around  her  in 
astonishment  and  could  not  imagine  for  a  while  where  she  was. 
But  her  grandfather's  deep  voice  was  now  heard  outside,  and 
then  Heidi  began  to  recall  all  that  had  happened:  how  she  had 
come  away  from  her  former  home  and  was  now  on  the  moun- 
tain with  her  grandfather  instead  of  with  old  Ursula.  The 
latter  was  nearly  stone  deaf  and  always  felt  cold,  so  that  she 
sat  all  day  either  by  the  hearth  in  the  kitchen  or  by  the  sitting- 
room  stove,  and  Heidi  had  been  obliged  to  stay  close  to  her,  for 
the  old  woman  was  so  deaf  that  she  could  not  tell  where  the 
child  was  if  out  of  her  sight.  And  Heidi,  shut  up  within  the  four 
walls,  had  often  longed  to  be  out  of  doors.  So  she  felt  very 
happy  this  morning  as  she  woke  up  in  her  new  home  and  re- 
membered all  the  many  new  things  that  she  had  seen  the  day 
before  and  which  she  would  see  again  that  day,  and  above  all 
she  thought  with  delight  of  the  two  dear  goats.  Heidi  jumped 
quickly  out  of  bed  and  a  very  few  minutes  sufficed  her  to  put 
on  the  clothes  which  she  had  taken  off  the  night  before,  for 
there  were  not  many  of  them.  Then  she  climbed  down  the 
ladder  and  ran  outside  the  hut.  There  stood  Peter  already  with 

[45] 


HEIDI 

his  flock  of  goats,  and  the  grandfather  was  just  bringing  his 
two  out  of  the  shed  to  join  the  others.  Heidi  ran  forward  to 
wish  good-morning  to  him  and  the  goats. 

"Do  you  want  to  go  with  them  on  to  the  mountain?"  asked 
her  grandfather.  Nothing  could  have  pleased  Heidi  better,  and 
she  jumped  for  joy  in  answer. 

"But  you  must  first  wash  and  make  yourself  tidy.  The  sun 
that  shines  so  brightly  overhead  will  else  laugh  at  you  for  being 
dirty;  see,  I  have  put  everything  ready  for  you,"  and  her 
grandfather  pointed  as  he  spoke  to  a  large  tub  full  of  water, 
which  stood  in  the  sun  before  the  door.  Heidi  ran  to  it  and 
began  splashing  and  rubbing,  till  she  quite  glistened  with  clean- 
liness. The  grandfather  meanwhile  went  inside  the  hut,  calling 
to  Peter  to  follow  him  and  bring  in  his  wallet.  Peter  obeyed 
with  astonishment,  and  laid  down  the  little  bag  which  held  his 
meagre  dinner. 

"  Open  it,"  said  the  old  man,  and  inside  it  he  put  a  large  piece 
of  bread  and  an  equally  large  piece  of  cheese,  which  made  Peter 
open  his  eyes,  for  each  was  twice  the  size  of  the  two  portions 
which  he  had  for  his  own  dinner. 

"There,  now  there  is  only  the  little  bowl  to  add,"  continued 
the  grandfather,  "for  the  child  cannot  drink  her  milk  as  you  do 
from  the  goat;  she  is  not  accustomed  to  that.  You  must  milk 
two  bowlfuls  for  her  when  she  has  her  dinner,  for  she  is  going 
with  you  and  will  remain  with  you  till  you  return  this  evening; 
but  take  care  she  does  not  fall  over  any  of  the  rocks,  do  you 
hear?" 

Heidi  now  came  running  in.  "Will  the  sun  laugh  at  me  now, 
grandfather?"  she  asked  anxiously.   Her  grandfather  had  left 

[  46  ] 


OUT  WITH  THE  GOATS 

a  coarse  towel  hanging  up  for  her  near  the  tub,  and  with  this 
she  had  so  thoroughly  scrubbed  her  face,  arms,  and  neck,  for 
fear  of  the  sun,  that  as  she  stood  there  she  was  as  red  all  over 
as  a  lobster.   He  gave  a  little  laugh. 

"No,  there  is  nothing  for  him  to  laugh  at  now,"  he  assured 
her.  "  But  I  tell  you  what — when  you  come  home  this  evening, 
you  will  have  to  get  right  into  the  tub,  like  a  fish,  for  if  you  run 
about  like  the  goats  you  will  get  your  feet  dirty.  Now  you  can 
be  off." 

She  started  joyfully  for  the  mountain.  During  the  night  the 
wind  had  blown  away  all  the  clouds;  the  dark  blue  sky  was 
spreading  overhead,  and  in  its  midst  was  the  bright  sun  shining 
down  on  the  green  slopes  of  the  mountain,  where  the  flowers 
opened  their  little  blue  and  yellow  cups,  and  looked  up  to  him 
smiling.  Heidi  went  running  hither  and  thither  and  shouting 
with  delight,  for  here  were  whole  patches  of  delicate  red  prim- 
roses, and  there  the  blue  gleam  of  the  lovely  gentian,  while 
above  them  all  laughed  and  nodded  the  tender-leaved  golden 
cistus.  Enchanted  with  all  this  waving  field  of  brightly  colored 
flowers,  Heidi  forgot  even  Peter  and  the  goats.  She  ran  on  in 
front  and  then  off  to  the  side,  tempted  first  one  way  and  then 
the  other,  as  she  caught  sight  of  some  bright  spot  of  glowing  red 
or  yellow.  And  all  the  while  she  was  plucking  whole  handf uls  of 
the  flowers  which  she  put  into  her  little  apron,  for  she  wanted 
to  take  them  all  home  and  stick  them  in  the  hay,  so  that  she 
might  make  her  bedroom  look  just  like  the  meadows  outside. 
Peter  had  therefore  to  be  on  the  alert,  and  his  round  eyes, 
which  did  not  move  very  quickly,  had  more  work  than  they 
could  well  manage,  for  the  goats  were  as  lively  as  Heidi;  they 

[47] 

*-\0 


HEIDI 

ran  in  all  directions,  and  Peter  had  to  follow  whistling  and  call- 
ing and  swinging  his  stick  to  get  all  the  runaways  together 
again. 

"Where  have  you  got  to  now,  Heidi?"  he  called  out  some- 
what crossly. 

"Here,"  called  back  a  voice  from  somewhere.  Peter  could 
see  no  one,  for  Heidi  was  seated  on  the  ground  at  the  foot  of  a 
small  hill  thickly  overgrown  with  sweet  smelling  prunella;  the 
whole  air  seemed  filled  with  its  fragrance,  and  Heidi  thought 
she  had  never  smelt  anything  so  delicious.  She  sat  surrounded 
by  the  flowers,  drawing  in  deep  breaths  of  the  scented  air. 

"Come  along  here!"  called  Peter  again.  "You  are  not  to 
fall  over  the  rocks,  your  grandfather  gave  orders  that  you  were 
not  to  do  so." 

"Where  are  the  rocks?"  asked  Heidi,  answering  him  back. 
But  she  did  not  move  from  her  seat,  for  the  scent  of  the  flowers 
seemed  sweeter  to  her  with  every  breath  of  wind  that  wafted  it 
towards  her. 

"Up  above,  right  up  above.  We  have  a  long  way  to  go  yet, 
so  come  along !  And  on  the  topmost  peak  of  all  the  old  bird  of 
prey  sits  and  croaks." 

That  did  it.  Heidi  immediately  sprang  to  her  feet  and  ran 
up  to  Peter  with  her  apron  full  of  flowers. 

"You  have  got  enough  now,"  said  the  boy  as  they  began 
climbing  up  again  together.  "You  will  stay  here  forever  if 
you  go  on  picking,  and  if  you  gather  all  the  flowers  now  there 
will  be  none  for  to-morrow." 

This  last  argument  seemed  a  convincing  one  to  Heidi,  and 
moreover  her  apron  was  already  so  full  that  there  was  hardly 

[  48  ] 


OUT  WITH  THE  GOATS 

room  for  another  flower,  and  it  would  never  do  to  leave  nothing 

to  pick  for  another  day.   So  she  now  kept  with  Peter,  and  the 

goats  also  became  more  orderly  in  their  behavior,  for  they  were 

beginning  to  smell  the  plants  they  loved  that  grew  on  the 

higher  slopes  and  clambered  up  now  without  pause  in  their 

anxiety  to  reach  them.  The  spot  where  Peter  generally  halted 

for  his  goats  to  pasture  and  where  he  took  up  his  quarters  for 

the  day  lay  at  the  foot  of  the  high  rocks,  which  were  covered 

for  some  distance  up  by  bushes  and  fir  trees,  beyond  which  rose 

their  bare  and  rugged  summits.   On  one  side  of  the  mountain 

the  rock  was  split  into  deep  clefts,  and  the  grandfather  had 

reason  to  warn  Peter  of  danger.   Having  climbed  as  far  as  the 

halting-place,  Peter  unslung  his  wallet  and  put  it  carefully  in  a 

little  hollow  of  the  ground,  for  he  knew  what  the  wind  was  like 

up  there  and  did  not  want  to  see  his  precious  belongings  sent 

rolling  down  the  mountain  by  a  sudden  gust.   Then  he  threw 

himself  at  full  length  on  the  warm  ground,  for  he  was  tired 

after  all  his  exertions. 

Heidi  meanwhile  had  unfastened  her  apron  and  rolling  it 

carefully  round  the  flowers  laid  it  beside  Peter's  wallet  inside 

the  hollow;   she  then  sat  down  beside  his  outstretched  figure 

and  looked  about  her.    The  valley  lay  far  below  bathed  in  the 

morning  sun.    In  front  of  her  rose  a  broad  snow  field,  high 

against  the  dark  blue  sky,  while  to  the  left  was  a  huge  pile  of 

rocks  on  either  side  of  which  a  bare  lofty  peak,  that  seemed  to 

pierce  the  blue,  looked  frowningly  down  upon  her.   The  child 

sat  without  moving,  her  eyes  taking  in  the  whole  scene,  and  all 

around  was  a  great  stillness,  only  broken  by  soft,  light  puffs  of 

wind  that  swayed  the  light  bells  of  the  blue  flowers,  and  the 

[  49  ] 


HEIDI 

shining  gold  heads  of  the  cistus,  and  set  them  nodding  merrily 
on  their  slender  stems.  Peter  had  fallen  asleep  after  his  fatigue 
and  the  goats  were  climbing  about  among  the  bushes  overhead. 
Heidi  had  never  felt  so  happy  in  her  life  before.  She  drank  in 
the  golden  sunlight,  the  fresh  air,  the  sweet  smell  of  the  flowers, 
and  wished  for  nothing  better  than  to  remain  there  forever.  So 
the  time  went  on,  while  to  Heidi,  who  had  so  often  looked  up 
from  the  valley  at  the  mountains  above,  these  seemed  now  to 
have  faces,  and  to  be  looking  down  at  her  like  old  friends.  Sud- 
denly she  heard  a  loud  harsh  cry  overhead  and  lifting  her  eyes 
she  saw  a  bird,  larger  than  any  she  had  ever  seen  before, 
with  great,  spreading  wings,  wheeling  round  and  round  in 
wide  circles,  and  uttering  a  piercing,  croaking  kind  of  sound 
above  her. 

"Peter,  Peter,  wake  up!"  called  out  Heidi.  "See,  the  great 
bird  is  there — look,  look!" 

Peter  got  up  on  hearing  her  call,  and  together  they  sat  and 
watched  the  bird,  which  rose  higher  and  higher  in  the  blue  air 
till  it  disappeared  behind  the  gray  mountain-tops. 

"Where  has  it  gone  to?  "  asked  Heidi,  who  had  followed  the 
bird's  movements  with  intense  interest. 

"Home  to  its  nest,"  said  Peter. 

"Is  his  home  right  up  there?  Oh,  how  nice  to  be  up  so  high! 
why  does  he  make  that  noise?  " 

"Because  he  can't  help  it, "  explained  Peter. 

"Let  us  climb  up  there  and  see  where  his  nest  is,"  proposed 
Heidi. 

"Oh!  oh!  oh!"  exclaimed  Peter,  his  disapproval  of  Heidi's 
suggestion   becoming   more   marked   with   each   ejaculation, 

[50] 


OUT  WITH  THE  GOATS 

"why  even  the  goats  cannot  climb  as  high  as  that,  besides, 
didn't  Uncle  say  that  you  were  not  to  fall  over  the  rocks?  " 

Peter  now  began  suddenly  whistling  and  calling  in  such  a 
loud  manner  that  Heidi  could  not  think  what  was  happening; 
but  the  goats  evidently  understood  his  voice,  for  one  after  the 
other  they  came  springing  down  the  rocks  until  they  were  all 
assembled  on  the  green  plateau,  some  continuing  to  nibble  at 
the  juicy  stems,  others  skipping  about  here  and  there  or  push- 
ing at  each  other  with  their  horns  for  pastime. 

Heidi  jumped  up  and  ran  in  and  out  among  them,  for  it  was 
new  to  her  to  see  the  goats  playing  together  like  this  and  her 
delight  was  beyond  words  as  she  joined  in  their  frolics;  she 
made  personal  acquaintance  with  them  all  in  turn,  for  they 
were  like  separate  individuals  to  her,  each  single  goat  having  a 
particular  way  of  behavior  of  its  own.  Meanwhile  Peter  had 
taken  the  wallet  out  of  the  hollow  and  placed  the  pieces  of 
bread  and  cheese  on  the  ground  in  the  shape  of  a  square,  the 
larger  two  on  Heidi's  side  and  the  smaller  on  his  own,  for  he 
knew  exactly  which  were  hers  and  which  his.  Then  he  took 
the  little  bowl  and  milked  some  delicious  fresh  milk  into  it 
from  the  white  goat,  and  afterwards  set  the  bowl  in  the  middle 
of  the  square.  Now  he  called  Heidi  to  come,  but  she  wanted 
more  calling  than  the  goats,  for  the  child  was  so  excited  and 
amused  at  the  capers  and  lively  games  of  her  new  playfellows 
that  she  saw  and  heard  nothing  else.  But  Peter  knew  how  to 
make  himself  heard,  for  he  shouted  till  the  very  rocks  above 
echoed  his  voice,  and  at  last  Heidi  appeared,  and  when  she  saw 
the  inviting  repast  spread  out  upon  the  ground  she  went  skip- 
ping round  it  for  joy. 

[51] 


HEIDI 

"  Leave  off  jumping  about,  it  is  time  for  dinner,"  said  Peter; 
"sit  down  now  and  begin. ' ' 

Heidi  sat  down.  "Is  the  milk  for  me?"  she  asked,  giving 
another  look  of  delight  at  the  beautifully  arranged  square  with 
the  bowl  as  a  chief  ornament  in  the  centre. 

"Yes,"  replied  Peter,  "and  the  two  large  pieces  of  bread 
and  cheese  are  yours  also,  and  when  you  have  drunk  up  that 
milk,  you  are  to  have  another  bowlful  from  the  white  goat,  and 
then  it  will  be  my  turn." 

"And  which  do  you  get  your  milk  from?  "  inquired  Heidi. 

"From  my  own  goat,  the  piebald  one.  But  go  on  now  with 
your  dinner,"  said  Peter,  again  reminding  her  it  was  time  to 
eat.  Heidi  now  took  up  the  bowl  and  drank  her  milk,  and  as 
soon  as  she  had  put  it  down  empty  Peter  rose  and  filled  it  again 
for  her.  Then  she  broke  off  a  piece  of  her  bread  and  held  out 
the  remainder,  which  was  still  larger  than  Peter's  own  piece, 
together  with  the  whole  big  slice  of  cheese,  to  her  companion, 
saying,  "  You  can  have  that,  I  have  plenty." 

Peter  looked  at  Heidi,  unable  to  speak  for  astonishment,  for 
never  in  all  his  life  could  he  have  said  and  done  like  that  with 
anything  he  had.  He  hesitated  a  moment,  for  he  could  not 
believe  that  Heidi  was  in  earnest;  but  the  latter  kept  on  hold- 
ing out  the  bread  and  cheese,  and  as  Peter  still  did  not  take  it, 
she  laid  it  down  on  his  knees.  He  saw  then  that  she  really 
meant  it;  he  seized  the  food,  nodded  his  thanks  and  acceptance 
of  her  present,  and  then  made  a  more  splendid  meal  than  he 
had  known  ever  since  he  was  a  goatherd.  Heidi  the  while  still 
continued  to  watch  the  goats.  "Tell  me  all  their  names,"  she 
said. 

[52] 


©D.MSK 


You  can  have  that,  I  have  plenty."     {Page  52) 


OUT  WITH  THE  GOATS 

Peter  knew  these  by  heart,  for  having  very  little  else  to 
carry  in  his  head  he  had  no  difficulty  in  remembering  them. 
So  he  began,  telling  Heidi  the  name  of  each  goat  in  turn  as  he 
pointed  it  out  to  her.  Heidi  listened  with  great  attention,  and 
it  was  not  long  before  she  could  herself  distinguish  the  goats 
from  one  another  and  could  call  each  by  name,  for  every  goat 
had  its  own  peculiarities  which  could  not  easily  be  mistaken; 
only  one  had  to  watch  them  closely,  and  this  Heidi  did.  There 
was  the  great  Turk  with  his  big  horns,  who  was  always  wanting 
to  butt  the  others,  so  that  most  of  them  ran  away  when  they 
saw  him  coming  and  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  their 
rough  companion.  Only  Greenfinch,  the  slender,  nimble  little 
goat,  was  brave  enough  to  face  him,  and  would  make  a  rush  at 
him,  three  or  four  times  in  succession,  with  such  agility  and 
dexterity  that  the  great  Turk  often  stood  still  quite  astounded, 
not  venturing  to  attack  her  again,  for  Greenfinch  was  fronting 
him,  prepared  for  more  warlike  action,  and  her  horns  were 
sharp.  Then  there  was  little  White  Snowflake,  who  bleated  in 
such  a  plaintive  and  beseeching  manner  that  Heidi  already 
had  several  times  run  to  it  and  taken  its  head  in  her  hands 
to  comfort  it.  Just  at  this  moment  the  pleading  young  cry 
was  heard  again,  and  Heidi  jumped  up  running  and,  putting 
her  arms  round  the  little  creature's  neck,  asked  in  a  sym- 
pathetic voice,  "What  is  it,  little  Snowflake?  Why  do  you 
call  like  that  as  if  in  trouble?"  The  goat  pressed  closer  to 
Heidi  in  a  confiding  way  and  left  off  bleating.  Peter  called 
out  from  where  he  was  sitting — for  he  had  not  yet  got  to 
the  end  of  his  bread  and  cheese,  "  She  cries  like  that  because 
the  old  goat  is  not  with  her;  she  was  sold  at  Mayenfeld  the 

[53] 


HEIDI 

day  before  yesterday,  and  so  will  not  come  up  the  mountain 
any  more." 

"  Who  is  the  old  goat?  "  called  Heidi  back. 

"  Why,  her  mother,  of  course,"  was  the  answer. 

"Where  is  the  grandmother?"  called  Heidi  again. 

"She  has  none." 

"And  the  grandfather?" 

"She  has  none." 

"Oh,  you  poor  little  Snowflake!"  exclaimed  Heidi,  clasping 
the  animal  gently  to  her,  "but  do  not  cry  like  that  any  more; 
see  now,  I  shall  come  up  here  with  you  every  day,  so  that  you 
will  not  be  alone  any  more,  and  if  you  want  anything  you  have 
only  to  come  to  me." 

The  young  animal  rubbed  its  head  contentedly  against 
Heidi's  shoulder,  and  no  longer  gave  such  plaintive  bleats. 
Peter  now  having  finished  his  meal  joined  Heidi  and  the  goats, 
Heidi  having  by  this  time  found  out  a  great  many  things  about 
these.  She  had  decided  that  by  far  the  handsomest  and  best- 
behaved  of  the  goats  were  undoubtedly  the  two  belonging  to 
her  grandfather;  they  carried  themselves  with  a  certain  air  of 
distinction  and  generally  went  their  own  way,  and  as  to  the 
great  Turk,  they  treated  him  with  indifference  and  contempt. 

The  goats  were  now  beginning  to  climb  the  rocks  again,  each 
seeking  for  the  plants  it  liked  in  its  own  fashion,  some  jumping 
over  everything  they  met  till  they  found  what  they  wanted, 
others  going  more  carefully  and  cropping  all  the  nice  leaves  by 
the  way,  the  Turk  still  now  and  then  giving  the  others  a  poke 
with  his  horns.  Little  Swan  and  Little  Bear  clambered  lightly 
up  and  never  failed  to  find  the  best  bushes,  and  then  they 

[54] 


OUT  WITH  THE  GOATS 

would  stand  gracefully  poised  on  their  pretty  legs,  delicately 
nibbling  at  the  leaves.  Heidi  stood  with  her  hands  behind  her 
back,  carefully  noting  all  they  did. 

"Peter,"  she  said  to  the  boy  who  had  again  thrown  himself 
down  on  the  ground,  "the  prettiest  of  all  the  goats  are  Little 
Swan  and  Little  Bear." 

"Yes,  I  know  they  are,"  was  the  answer.  "Aim-Uncle 
brushes  them  down  and  washes  them  and  gives  them  salt,  and 
he  has  the  nicest  shed  for  them." 

All  of  a  sudden  Peter  leaped  to  his  feet  and  ran  hastily  after 
the  goats.  Heidi  followed  him  as  fast  as  she  could,  for  she  was 
too  eager  to  know  what  had  happened  to  stay  behind.  Peter 
dashed  through  the  middle  of  the  flock  towards  that  side  of  the 
mountain  where  the  rocks  fell  perpendicularly  to  a  great  depth 
below,  and  where  any  thoughtless  goat,  if  it  went  too  near, 
might  fall  over  and  break  all  its  legs.  He  had  caught  sight  of 
the  inquisitive  Greenfinch  taking  leaps  in  that  direction,  and  he 
was  only  just  in  time,  for  the  animal  had  already  sprung  to  the 
edge  of  the  abyss.  All  Peter  could  do  was  to  throw  himself 
down  and  seize  one  of  her  hind  legs.  Greenfinch,  thus  taken  by 
surprise,  began  bleating  furiously,  angry  at  being  held  so  fast 
and  prevented  from  continuing  her  voyage  of  discovery.  She 
struggled  to  get  loose,  and  endeavored  so  obstinately  to  leap 
forward  that  Peter  shouted  to  Heidi  to  come  and  help  him,  for 
he  could  not  get  up  and  was  afraid  of  pulling  out  the  goat's  leg 
altogether. 

Heidi  had  already  run  up  and  she  saw  at  once  the  danger 
both  Peter  and  the  animal  were  in.  She  quickly  gathered  a 
bunch  of  sweet-smelling  leaves,  and  then,  holding  them  under 

[55] 


HEIDI 

Greenfinch's  nose,  said  coaxingly,  "Come,  come,  Greenfinch, 
you  must  not  be  naughty !  Look,  you  might  fall  down  there  and 
break  your  leg,  and  that  would  give  you  dreadful  pain!" 

The  young  animal  turned  quickly,  and  began  contentedly 
eating  the  leaves  out  of  Heidi's  hand.  Meanwhile  Peter  got  on 
to  his  feet  again  and  took  hold  of  Greenfinch  by  the  band 
round  her  neck  from  which  her  bell  was  hung,  and  Heidi  taking 
hold  of  her  in  the  same  way  on  the  other  side,  they  led  the 
wanderer  back  to  the  rest  of  the  flock  that  had  remained  peace- 
fully feeding.  Peter,  now  he  had  his  goat  in  safety,  lifted  his 
stick  in  order  to  give  her  a  good  beating  as  punishment,  and 
Greenfinch  seeing  what  was  coming  shrank  back  in  fear.  But 
Heidi  cried  out,  "No,  no,  Peter,  you  must  not  strike  her;  see 
how  frightened  she  is!" 

"She  deserves  it,"  growled  Peter,  and  again  lifted  his  stick. 
Then  Heidi  flung  herself  against  him  and  cried  indignantly, 
"You  have  no  right  to  touch  her,  it  will  hurt  her,  let  her 
alone!" 

Peter  looked  with  surprise  at  the  commanding  little  figure, 
whose  dark  eyes  were  flashing,  and  reluctantly  he  let  his  stick 
drop.  "  Well,  I  will  let  her  off  if  you  will  give  me  some  more  of 
your  cheese  to-morrow,"  he  said,  for  he  was  determined  to  have 
something  to  make  up  to  him  for  his  fright. 

"You  shall  have  it  all,  to-morrow  and  every  day;  I  do  not 
want  it,"  replied  Heidi,  giving  ready  consent  to  his  demand. 
"And  I  will  give  you  bread  as  well,  a  large  piece  like  you  had 
to-day;  but  then  you  must  promise  never  to  beat  Greenfinch, 
or  Snowflake,  or  any  of  the  goats." 

"All  right,"  said  Peter,  "I  don't  care,"  which  meant  that  he 

[56] 


OUT  WITH  THE  GOATS 

would  agree  to  the  bargain.  He  now  let  go  of  Greenfinch,  who 
joyfully  sprang  to  join  her  companions. 

And  thus  imperceptibly  the  day  had  crept  on  to  its  close,  and 
now  the  sun  was  on  the  point  of  sinking  out  of  sight  behind  the 
high  mountains.  Heidi  was  again  sitting  on  the  ground,  silently 
gazing  at  the  blue  bell-shaped  flowers  as  they  glistened  in  the 
evening  sun,  for  a  golden  light  lay  on  the  grass  and  flowers,  and 
the  rocks  above  were  beginning  to  shine  and  glow.  All  at  once 
she  sprang  to  her  feet,  "Peter!  Peter!  everything  is  on  fire!  All 
the  rocks  are  burning,  and  the  great  snow  mountain  and  the 
sky !  O  look,  look !  the  high  rock  up  there  is  red  with  flame !  O 
the  beautiful,  fiery  snow!  Stand  up,  Peter!  See,  the  fire  has 
reached  the  great  bird's  nest !  look  at  the  rocks !  look  at  the  fir 
trees!   Everything,  everything  is  on  fire!" 

"It  is  always  like  that,"  said  Peter  composedly,  continuing 
to  peel  his  stick ;  "  but  it  is  not  really  fire." 

"What  is  it  then?"  cried  Heidi,  as  she  ran  backwards  and 
forwards  to  look  first  one  side  and  then  the  other,  for  she  felt 
she  could  not  have  enough  of  such  a  beautiful  sight.  "What  is 
it,  Peter,  what  is  it?"  she  repeated. 

"It  gets  like  that  of  itself,"  explained  Peter. 

"Look,  look!"  cried  Heidi  in  fresh  excitement,  "now  they 
have  turned  all  rose  color!  Look  at  that  one  covered  with 
snow,  and  that  with  the  high,  pointed  rocks !  What  do  you  call 
them?" 

"Mountains  have  not  any  names,"  he  answered. 

"O  how  beautiful!  look  at  the  crimson  snow!  And  up  there 
on  the  rocks  there  are  ever  so  many  roses!  Oh!  now  they  are 
turning  grey !  Oh !  oh !  now  all  the  color  has  died  away !  it's  all 

[57] 


HEIDI 

gone,  Peter."  And  Heidi  sat  down  on  the  ground  looking  as 
full  of  distress  as  if  everything  had  really  come  to  an  end. 

"It  will  come  again  to-morrow,"  said  Peter.  "Get  up,  we 
must  go  home  now."  He  whistled  to  his  goats  and  together 
they  all  started  on  their  homeward  way. 

"Is  it  like  that  every  day,  shall  we  see  it  every  day  when  we 
bring  the  goats  up  here?"  asked  Heidi,  as  she  clambered  down 
the  mountain  at  Peter's  side;  she  waited  eagerly  for  his  answer, 
hoping  that  he  would  tell  her  it  was  so. 

"It  is  like  that  most  days,"  he  replied. 

"But  will  it  be  like  that  to-morrow  for  certain?"  Heidi  per- 
sisted. 

"Yes,  yes,  to-morrow  for  certain,"  Peter  assured  her  in 
answer. 

Heidi  now  felt  quite  happy  again,  and  her  little  brain  was  so 
full  of  new  impressions  and  new  thoughts  that  she  did  not 
speak  any  more  until  they  had  reached  the  hut.  The  grand- 
father was  sitting  under  the  fir  trees,  where  he  had  also  put  up 
a  seat,  waiting  as  usual  for  his  goats  which  returned  down  the 
mountain  on  this  side. 

Heidi  ran  up  to  him,  followed  by  the  white  and  brown  goats, 
for  they  knew  their  own  master  and  stall.  Peter  called  out 
after  her,  "Come  with  me  again  to-morrow!  Good-night!" 
For  he  was  anxious  for  more  than  one  reason  that  Heidi  should 
go  with  him  the  next  day. 

Heidi  ran  back  quickly  and  gave  Peter  her  hand,  promising 
to  go  with  him,  and  then  making  her  way  through  the  goats  she 
once  more  clasped  Snowflake  round  the  neck,  saying  in  a  gentle 
soothing  voice,  "Sleep  well,  Snowflake,  and  remember  that  I 

[58] 


OUT  WITH  THE  GOATS 

shall  be  with  you  again  to-morrow,  so  you  must  not  bleat  so 
sadly  any  more."  Snowflake  gave  her  a  friendly  and  grateful 
look,  and  then  went  leaping  joyfully  after  the  other  goats. 

Heidi  returned  to  the  fir  trees.  "O  grandfather,"  she  cried, 
even  before  she  had  come  up  to  him,  "it  was  so  beautiful.  The 
fire,  and  the  roses  on  the  rocks,  and  the  blue  and  yellow  flowers, 
and  look  what  I  have  brought  you ! "  And  opening  the  apron 
that  held  her  flowers  she  shook  them  all  out  at  her  grandfather's 
feet.  But  the  poor  flowers,  how  changed  they  were!  Heidi 
hardly  knew  them  again.  They  looked  like  dry  bits  of  hay — not 
a  single  little  flower  cup  stood  open.  "O  grandfather,  what  is 
the  matter  with  them?"  exclaimed  Heidi  in  shocked  surprise, 
"they  were  not  like  that  this  morning,  why  do  they  look  so 
now? 

"They  like  to  stand  out  there  in  the  sun  and  not  to  be  shut 
up  in  an  apron,"  said  her  grandfather. 

"Then  I  will  never  gather  any  more.  But,  grandfather,  why 
did  the  great  bird  go  on  croaking  so?  "  she  continued  in  an  eager 
tone  of  inquiry. 

"Go  along  now  and  get  into  your  bath  while  I  go  and  get 
some  milk;  when  we  are  together  at  supper  I  will  tell  you  all 
about  it." 

Heidi  obeyed,  and  when  later  she  was  sitting  on  her  high 
stool  before  her  milk  bowl  with  her  grandfather  beside  her,  she 
repeated  her  question,  "Why  does  the  great  bird  go  on  croak- 
ing and  screaming  down  at  us,  grandfather?" 

"He  is  mocking  at  the  people  who  live  down  below  in  the 
villages,  because  they  all  go  huddling  and  gossiping  together, 
and  encourage  one  another  in  evil  talking  and  deeds.  He  calls 

[59] 


HEIDI 

out,  'If  you  would  separate  and  each  go  your  own  way  and 
come  up  here  and  live  on  a  height  as  I  do,  it  would  be  better  for 
you!'  "  There  was  almost  a  wildness  in  the  old  man's  voice  as 
he  spoke,  so  that  Heidi  seemed  to  hear  the  croaking  of  the  bird 
again  even  more  distinctly. 

"Why  haven't  the  mountains  any  names?"  Heidi  went  on. 

"They  have  names,"  answered  her  grandfather,  "and  if  you 
can  describe  one  of  them  to  me  that  I  know  I  will  tell  you  what 
it  is  called." 

Heidi  then  described  to  him  the  rocky  mountain  with  the 
two  high  peaks  so  exactly  that  the  grandfather  was  delighted. 
"Just  so,  I  know  it,"  and  he  told  her  its  name.  "Did  you  see 
any  other?" 

Then  Heidi  told  him  of  the  mountain  with  the  great  snow- 
field,  and  how  it  had  been  on  fire,  and  had  turned  rosy -red  and 
then  all  of  a  sudden  had  grown  quite  pale  again  and  all  the 
color  had  disappeared. 

"I  know  that  one  too,"  he  said,  giving  her  its  name.  "So  you 
enjoyed  being  out  with  the  goats?" 

Then  Heidi  went  on  to  give  him  an  account  of  the  whole  day, 
and  of  how  delightful  it  had  all  been,  and  particularly  described 
the  fire  that  had  burst  out  everywhere  in  the  evening.  And 
then  nothing  would  do  but  her  grandfather  must  tell  how  it 
came,  for  Peter  knew  nothing  about  it. 

The  grandfather  explained  to  her  that  it  was  the  sun  that 
did  it.  "When  he  says  good-night  to  the  mountains  he  throws 
his  most  beautiful  colors  over  them,  so  that  they  may  not  for- 
get him  before  he  comes  again  the  next  day." 

Heidi  was  delighted  with  this  explanation,  and  could  hardly 

[  60  ] 


OUT  WITH  THE  GOATS 

bear  to  wait  for  another  day  to  come  that  she  might  once  more 
climb  up  with  the  goats  and  see  how  the  sun  bid  good-night  to 
the  mountains.  But  she  had  to  go  to  bed  first,  and  all  night  she 
slept  soundly  on  her  bed  of  hay,  dreaming  of  nothing  but  of 
shining  mountains  with  red  roses  all  over  them,  among  which 
happy  little  Snowflake  went  leaping  in  and  out. 


[61] 


I 


CHAPTER  IV 
THE  VISIT  TO  GRANDMOTHER 

THE  next  morning  the  sun  came  out  early  as  bright  as 
ever,  and  then  Peter  appeared  with  the  goats,  and  again 
the  two  children  climbed  up  together  to  the  high  mead- 
ows, and  so  it  went  on  day  after  day  till  Heidi,  passing  her  life 
thus  among  the  grass  and  flowers,  was  burnt  brown  with  the 
sun,  and  grew  so  strong  and  healthy  that  nothing  ever  ailed 
her.  She  was  happy  too,  and  lived  from  day  to  day  as  free  and 
lighthearted  as  the  little  birds  that  make  their  home  among  the 
green  forest  trees.  Then  the  autumn  came,  and  the  wind  blew 
louder  and  stronger,  and  the  grandfather  would  say  some- 
times, "To-day  you  must  stay  at  home,  Heidi;  a  sudden  gust 
of  the  wind  would  blow  a  little  thing  like  you  over  the  rocks 
into  the  valley  below  in  a  moment." 

Whenever  Peter  heard  that  he  must  go  alone  he  looked  very 
unhappy,  for  he  saw  nothing  but  mishaps  of  all  kinds  ahead, 
and  did  not  know  how  he  should  bear  the  long  dull  day  without 
Heidi.  Then,  too,  there  was  the  good  meal  he  would  miss,  and 
besides  that  the  goats  on  these  days  were  so  naughty  and  ob- 
stinate that  he  had  twice  the  usual  trouble  with  them,  for  they 
had  grown  so  accustomed  to  Heidi's  presence  that  they  would  run 
in  every  direction  and  refuse  to  go  on  unless  she  was  with  them. 
Heidi  was  never  unhappy,  for  wherever  she  was  she  found  some- 
thing to  interest  or  amuse  her.  She  liked  best,  it  is  true,  to  go 
out  with  Peter  up  to  the  flowers  and  the  great  bird,  where  there 

[  65  ] 


HEIDI 

was  so  much  to  be  seen,  and  so  many  experiences  to  go  through 
among  the  goats  with  their  different  characters;  but  also  she 
found  her  grandfather's  hammering  and  sawing  and  carpenter- 
ing very  entertaining,  and  if  it  should  chance  to  be  the  day 
when  the  large  round  goat's-milk  cheese  was  made  she  enjoyed 
beyond  measure  looking  on  at  this  wonderful  performance,  and 
watching  her  grandfather,  as,  with  sleeves  rolled  back,  he  stirred 
the  great  cauldron  with  his  bare  arms.  The  thing  which  at- 
tracted her  most,  however,  was  the  waving  and  roaring  of  the 
three  old  fir  trees  on  these  windy  days.  She  would  run  away 
repeatedly  from  whatever  she  might  be  doing,  to  listen  to 
them,  for  nothing  seemed  so  strange  and  wonderful  to  her  as 
the  deep  mysterious  sound  in  the  tops  of  the  trees.  She  would 
stand  underneath  them  and  look  up,  unable  to  tear  herself 
away,  looking  and  listening  while  they  bowed  and  swayed  and 
roared  as  the  mighty  wind  rushed  through  them.  There  was 
no  longer  now  the  warm  bright  sun  that  had  shone  all  through 
the  summer,  so  Heidi  went  to  the  cupboard  and  got  out  her 
shoes  and  stockings  and  dress,  for  it  was  growing  colder  every 
day,  and  when  Heidi  stood  under  the  fir  trees  the  wind  blew 
through  her  as  if  she  was  a  thin  little  leaf,  but  still  she  felt  she 
could  not  stay  indoors  when  she  heard  the  branches  waving 
outside. 

Then  it  grew  very  cold,  and  Peter  would  come  up  early  in 
the  morning  blowing  on  his  fingers  to  keep  them  warm.  But  he 
soon  left  off  coming,  for  one  night  there  was  a  heavy  fall  of 
snow  and  the  next  morning  the  whole  mountain  was  covered 
with  it,  and  not  a  single  little  green  leaf  was  to  be  seen  any- 
where upon  it.  There  was  no  Peter  that  day,  and  Heidi  stood 

[66] 


THE  VISIT  TO  GRANDMOTHER 

at  the  little  window  looking  out  in  wonderment,  for  the  snow 
was  beginning  again,  and  the  thick  flakes  kept  falling  till  the 
snow  was  up  to  the  window,  and  still  they  continued  to  fall,  and 
the  snow  grew  higher,  so  that  at  last  the  window  could  not  be 
opened,  and  she  and  her  grandfather  were  shut  up  fast  within 
the  hut.  Heidi  thought  this  was  great  fun  and  ran  from  one 
window  to  the  other  to  see  what  would  happen  next,  and 
whether  the  snow  was  going  to  cover  up  the  whole  hut,  so  that 
they  would  have  to  light  a  lamp  although  it  was  broad  day- 
light. But  things  did  not  get  as  bad  as  that,  and  the  next  day, 
the  snow  having  ceased,  the  grandfather  went  out  and  shovelled 
away  the  snow  round  the  house,  and  threw  it  into  such  great 
heaps  that  they  looked  like  mountains  standing  at  intervals  on 
either  side  the  hut.  And  now  the  windows  and  door  could  be 
opened,  and  it  was  well  it  was  so,  for  as  Heidi  and  her  grand- 
father were  sitting  one  afternoon  on  their  three-legged  stools 
before  the  fire  there  came  a  great  thump  at  the  door,  followed 
by  several  others,  and  then  the  door  opened.  It  was  Peter, 
who  had  made  all  that  noise  knocking  the  snow  off  his 
shoes;  he  was  still  white  all  over  with  it,  for  he  had  had 
to  fight  his  way  through  deep  snowdrifts,  and  large  lumps 
of  snow  that  had  frozen  upon  him  still  clung  to  his  clothes. 
He  had  been  determined,  however,  not  to  be  beaten  and 
to  climb  up  to  the  hut,  for  it  was  a  week  now  since  he 
had  seen  Heidi. 

"Good-evening,"  he  said  as  he  came  in;  then  he  went  and 
placed  himself  as  near  the  fire  as  he  could  without  saying  an- 
other word,  but  his  whole  face  was  beaming  with  pleasure  at 
finding  himself  there.    Heidi  looked  on  in  astonishment,  for 

[67] 


HEIDI 

Peter  was  beginning  to  thaw  all  over  with  the  warmth,  so  that 
he  had  the  appearance  of  a  trickling  waterfall. 

"Well,  General,  and  how  goes  it  with  you?  "  said  the  grand- 
father, "now  that  you  have  lost  your  army  you  will  have  to 
turn  to  your  pen  and  pencil." 

"Why  must  he  turn  to  his  pen  and  pencil?"  asked  Heidi 
immediately,  full  of  curiosity. 

"During  the  winter  he  must  go  to  school,"  explained  her 
grandfather,  "and  learn  how  to  read  and  write;  it's  a  bit  hard, 
although  useful  sometimes  afterwards.  Am  I  not  right,  Gen- 
eral?" 

"Yes,  indeed,"  assented  Peter. 

Heidi's  interest  was  now  thoroughly  awakened,  and  she  had 
so  many  questions  to  put  to  Peter  about  all  that  was  to  be  done 
and  seen  and  heard  at  school,  and  the  conversation  took  so 
long  that  Peter  had  time  to  get  thoroughly  dry.  Peter  had 
always  great  difficulty  in  putting  his  thoughts  into  words,  and 
he  found  his  share  of  the  talk  doubly  difficult  to-day,  for  by  the 
time  he  had  an  answer  ready  to  one  of  Heidi's  questions  she 
had  already  put  two  or  three  more  to  him,  and  generally  such 
as  required  a  whole  long  sentence  in  reply. 

The  grandfather  sat  without  speaking  during  this  conversa- 
tion, only  now  and  then  a  twitch  of  amusement  at  the  corners 
of  his  mouth  showed  that  he  was  listening. 

"  Well,  now,  General,  you  have  been  under  fire  for  some  time 
and  must  want  some  refreshment;  come  and  join  us,"  he  said 
at  last,  and  as  he  spoke  he  rose  and  went  to  fetch  the  supper  out 
of  the  cupboard,  and  Heidi  pushed  the  stools  to  the  table. 
There  was  also  now  a  bench  fastened  against  the  wall,  for  as  he 

[68] 


THE  VISIT  TO  GRANDMOTHER 

was  no  longer  alone  the  grandfather  had  put  up  seats  of  various 
kinds  here  and  there,  long  enough  to  hold  two  persons,  for 
Heidi  had  a  way  of  always  keeping  close  to  her  grandfather 
whether  he  was  walking,  sitting  or  standing.  So  there  was  com- 
fortable place  for  them  all  three,  and  Peter  opened  his  round 
eyes  very  wide  when  he  saw  what  a  large  piece  of  meat  Aim- 
Uncle  gave  him  on  his  thick  slice  of  bread.  It  was  a  long  time 
since  Peter  had  had  anything  so  nice  to  eat.  As  soon  as  the 
pleasant  meal  was  over  Peter  began  to  get  ready  for  returning 
home,  for  it  was  already  growing  dark.  He  had  said  his  "  good- 
night "  and  his  thanks,  and  was  just  going  out,  when  he  turned 
again  and  said,  "I  shall  come  again  next  Sunday,  this  day  week, 
and  grandmother  sent  word  that  she  would  like  you  to  come 
and  see  her  one  day." 

It  was  quite  a  new  idea  to  Heidi  that  she  should  go  and  pay 
anybody  a  visit,  and  she  could  not  get  it  out  of  her  head;  so  the 
first  thing  she  said  to  her  grandfather  the  next  day  was,  "I 
must  go  down  to  see  the  grandmother  to-day;  she  will  be  ex- 
pecting me." 

"The  snow  is  too  deep,"  answered  the  grandfather,  trying 
to  put  her  off.  But  Heidi  had  made  up  her  mind  to  go,  since 
the  grandmother  had  sent  her  that  message.  She  stuck  to  her 
intention  and  not  a  day  passed  but  what  in  the  course  of  it  she 
said  five  or  six  times  to  her  grandfather,  "  I  must  certainly  go 
to-day,  the  grandmother  will  be  waiting  for  me." 

On  the  fourth  day,  when  with  every  step  one  took  the  ground 
crackled  with  frost  and  the  whole  vast  field  of  snow  was  hard  as 
ice,  Heidi  was  sitting  on  her  high  stool  at  dinner  with  the  bright 
sun  shining  in  upon  her  through  the  window,  and  again  repeated 

[69] 


HEIDI 

her  little  speech,  "  I  must  certainly  go  down  to  see  the  grand- 
mother to-day,  or  else  I  shall  keep  her  waiting  too  long." 

The  grandfather  rose  from  table,  climbed  up  to  the  hay -loft, 
and  brought  down  the  thick  sack  that  was  Heidi's  coverlid, 
and  said,  "Come  along  then!"  The  child  skipped  out  glee- 
fully after  him  into  the  glittering  world  of  snow. 

The  old  fir  trees  were  standing  now  quite  silent,  their 
branches  covered  with  the  white  snow,  and  they  looked  so 
lovely  as  they  glittered  and  sparkled  in  the  sunlight  that 
Heidi  jumped  for  joy  at  the  sight  and  kept  on  calling  out, 
"  Come  here,  come  here,  grandfather !  The  fir  trees  are  all  sil- 
ver and  gold!"  The  grandfather  had  gone  into  the  shed  and  he 
now  came  out  dragging  a  large  hand-sleigh  along  with  him; 
inside  it  was  a  low  seat,  and  the  sleigh  could  be  pushed  forward 
and  guided  by  the  feet  of  the  one  who  sat  upon  it  with  the  help 
of  a  pole  that  was  fastened  to  the  side.  After  he  had  been 
taken  round  the  fir  trees  by  Heidi  that  he  might  see  their 
beauty  from  all  sides,  he  got  into  the  sleigh  and  lifted  the  child 
on  to  his  lap;  then  he  wrapped  her  up  in  the  sack,  that  she 
might  keep  nice  and  warm,  and  put  his  left  arm  closely  round 
her,  for  it  was  necessary  to  hold  her  tight  during  the  coming 
journey.  He  now  grasped  the  pole  with  his  right  hand  and 
gave  the  sleigh  a  push  forward  with  his  two  feet.  The  sleigh 
shot  down  the  mountain  side  with  such  rapidity  that  Heidi 
thought  they  were  flying  through  the  air  like  a  bird,  and 
shouted  aloud  with  delight.  Suddenly  they  came  to  a  stand- 
still, and  there  they  were  at  Peter's  hut.  Her  grandfather 
lifted  her  out  and  unwrapped  her.  "There  you  are,  now  go  in, 
and  when  it  begins  to  grow  dark  you  must  start  on  your  way 

[  70  ] 


CVVijlioV  .3.MH. 


)DMEK 


"  Are  you  the  child  who  lives  up  with  Aim-Uncle, 
are  vou  Heidi?"     (Page  71) 


THE  VISIT  TO  GRANDMOTHER 

home  again."    Then  he  left  her  and  went  up  the  mountain, 
pulling  his  sleigh  after  him. 

Heidi  opened  the  door  of  the  hut  and  stepped  into  a  tiny- 
room  that  looked  very  dark,  with  a  fireplace  and  a  few  dishes 
on  a  wooden  shelf;  this  was  the  little  kitchen.  She  opened 
another  door,  and  now  found  herself  in  another  small  room,  for 
the  place  was  not  a  herdsman's  hut  like  her  grandfather's,  with 
one  large  room  on  the  ground  floor  and  a  hay -loft  above,  but  a 
very  old  cottage,  where  everything  was  narrow  and  poor  and 
shabby.  A  table  was  close  to  the  door,  and  as  Heidi  stepped  in 
she  saw  a  woman  sitting  at  it,  putting  a  patch  on  a  waistcoat 
which  Heidi  recognized  at  once  as  Peter's.  In  the  corner  sat  an 
old  woman,  bent  with  age,  spinning.  Heidi  was  quite  sure  this 
was  the  grandmother,  so  she  went  up  to  the  spinning-wheel  and 
said,  "Good-day,  grandmother,  I  have  come  at  last;  did  you 
think  I  was  a  long  time  coming?" 

The  woman  raised  her  head  and  felt  for  the  hand  that  the 
child  held  out  to  her,  and  when  she  found  it,  she  passed  her  own 
over  it  thoughtfully  for  a  few  seconds,  and  then  said,  "Are  you 
the  child  who  lives  up  with  Aim-Uncle,  are  you  Heidi?" 

"Yes,  yes,"  answered  Heidi,  "I  have  just  come  down  in  the 
si  ,;gh  with  grandfather." 

"Is  it  possible!  Why  your  hands  are  quite  warm !  Brigitta, 
did  Aim-Uncle  come  himself  with  the  child?" 

Peter's  mother  had  left  her  work  and  risen  from  the  table  and 
now  stood  looking  at  Heidi  with  curiosity,  scanning  her  from 
head  to  foot.  "I  do  not  know,  mother,  whether  Uncle  came 
himself;  it  is  hardly  likely,  the  child  probably  makes  a  mis- 
take." 

[71] 


HEIDI 

But  Heidi  looked  steadily  at  the  woman,  not  at  all  as  if  in 
any  uncertainty,  and  said,  "I  know  quite  well  who  wrapped  me 
in  my  bedcover  and  brought  me  down  in  the  sleigh:  it  was 
grandfather." 

"There  was  some  truth  then  perhaps  in  what  Peter  used  to 
tell  us  of  Aim-Uncle  during  the  summer,  when  we  thought  he 
must  be  wrong,"  said  grandmother;  "  but  who  would  ever  have 
believed  that  such  a  thing  was  possible?  I  did  not  think  the 
child  would  live  three  weeks  up  there.  What  is  she  like,  Bri- 
gitta?" 

The  latter  had  so  thoroughly  examined  Heidi  on  all  sides 
that  she  was  well  able  to  describe  her  to  her  mother. 

"She  has  Adelaide's  slenderness  of  figure,  but  her  eyes  are 
dark  and  her  hair  curly  like  her  father's  and  the  old  man's  up 
there:   she  takes  after  both  of  them,  I  think." 

Heidi  meanwhile  had  not  been  idle;  she  had  made  the  round 
of  the  room  and  looked  carefully  at  everything  there  was  to  be 
seen.  All  of  a  sudden  she  exclaimed,  "Grandmother,  one  of 
your  shutters  is  flapping  backwards  and  forwards;  grandfather 
would  put  a  nail  in  and  make  it  all  right  in  a  minute,  or  else 
it  will  break  one  of  the  panes  some  day;  look,  look,  how  it 
keeps  on  banging!" 

"Ah,  dear  child,"  said  the  old  woman,  "I  am  not  able  to  see 
it,  but  I  can  hear  that  and  many  other  things  besides  the 
shutter.  Everything  about  the  place  rattles  and  creaks  when 
the  wind  is  blowing,  and  it  gets  inside  through  all  the  cracks 
and  holes.  The  house  is  going  to  pieces,  and  in  the  night,  when 
the  two  others  are  asleep,  I  often  lie  awake  in  fear  and  trem- 
bling, thinking  that  the  whole  place  will  give  way  and  fall  and 

[  72  ] 


THE  VISIT  TO  GRANDMOTHER 

kill  us.  And  there  is  not  a  creature  to  mend  anything  for  us,  for 
Peter  does  not  understand  such  work." 

"But  why  cannot  you  see,  grandmother,  that  the  shutter  is 
loose.  Look,  there  it  goes  again!  see,  that  one  there!"  And 
Heidi  pointed  to  the  particular  shutter. 

"Alas,  child,  it  it  not  only  that  I  cannot  see — I  can  see 
nothing,  nothing,"  said  the  grandmother  in  a  voice  of  lamenta- 
tion. 

"But  if  I  were  to  go  outside  and  put  back  the  shutter  so  that 
you  had  more  light,  then  you  could  see,  grandmother?" 

"No,  no,  not  even  then,  no  one  can  make  it  light  for  me 
again." 

"But  if  you  were  to  go  outside  among  all  the  white  snow, 
then  surely  you  would  find  it  light;  just  come  with  me,  grand- 
mother, and  I  will  show  you."  Heidi  took  hold  of  the  old 
woman's  hand  to  lead  her  along,  for  she  was  beginning  to  feel 
quite  distressed  at  the  thought  of  her  being  without  light. 

"Let  me  be,  dear  child;  it  is  always  dark  for  me  now; 
whether  in  snow  or  sun,  no  light  can  penetrate  my  eyes." 

"But  surely  it  does  in  summer,  grandmother,"  said  Heidi, 
more  and  more  anxious  to  find  some  way  out  of  the  trouble, 
"when  the  hot  sun  is  shining  down  again,  and  he  says  good- 
night to  the  mountains,  and  they  all  turn  on  fire,  and  the  yellow 
flowers  shine  like  gold,  then,  you  will  see,  it  will  be  bright  and 
beautiful  for  you  again." 

"Ah,  child,  I  shall  see  the  mountains  on  fire  or  the  yellow 
flowers  no  more;  it  will  never  be  light  for  me  again  on  earth, 
never." 

At   hese  words  Heidi  broke  into  loud  crving.  In  her  distress 

[  73  ] 


HEIDI 

she  kept  on  sobbing  out,  "Who  can  make  it  light  for  you  again? 
Can  no  one  do  it?  Isn't  there  any  one  who  can  do  it?" 

The  grandmother  now  tried  to  comfort  the  child,  but  it  was 
not  easy  to  quiet  her.  Heidi  did  not  often  weep,  but  when  she 
did  she  could  not  get  over  her  trouble  for  a  long  while.  The 
grandmother  had  tried  all  means  in  her  power  to  allay  the 
child's  grief,  for  it  went  to  her  heart  to  hear  her  sobbing  so 
bitterly.  At  last  she  said,  "Come  here,  dear  Heidi,  come  and 
let  me  tell  you  something.  You  cannot  think  how  glad  one  is  to 
hear  a  kind  word  when  one  can  no  longer  see,  and  it  is  such  a 
pleasure  to  me  to  listen  to  you  while  you  talk.  So  come  and  sit 
beside  me  and  tell  me  something;  tell  me  what  you  do  up 
there,  and  how  grandfather  occupies  himself.  I  knew  him  very 
well  in  old  days;  but  for  many  years  now  I  have  heard  nothing 
of  him,  except  through  Peter,  who  never  says  much." 

This  was  a  new  and  happy  idea  to  Heidi;  she  quickly  dried 
her  tears  and  said  in  a  comforting  voice,  "Wait,  grandmother, 
till  I  have  told  grandfather  everything,  he  will  make  it  light  for 
you  again,  I  am  sure,  and  will  do  something  so  that  the  house 
will  not  fall;   he  will  put  everything  right  for  you." 

The  grandmother  was  silent,  and  Heidi  now  began  to  give  her 
a  lively  description  of  her  life  with  the  grandfather,  and  of  the 
days  she  spent  on  the  mountain  with  the  goats,  and  then  went 
on  to  tell  her  of  what  she  did  now  during  the  winter,  and  how 
her  grandfather  was  able  to  make  all  sorts  of  things,  seats  and 
stools,  and  mangers  where  the  hay  was  put  for  Little  Swan  and 
Little  Bear,  besides  a  new  large  water-tub  for  her  to  bathe  in 
when  the  summer  came,  and  a  new  milk-bowl  and  spoon,  and 
Heidi  grew  more  and  more  animated  as  she  enumerated  ill  the 

[74] 


< 


THE  VISIT  TO  GRANDMOTHER 

beautiful  things  which  were  made  so  magically  out  of  pieces  of 
wood;  she  then  told  the  grandmother  how  she  stood  by  him 
and  watched  all  he  did,  and  how  she  hoped  some  day  to  be  able 
to  make  the  same  herself. 

The  grandmother  listened  with  the  greatest  attention,  only 
from  time  to  time  addressing  her  daughter,  "Do  you  hear  that, 
Brigitta?   Do  you  hear  what  she  is  saying  about  Uncle?" 

The  conversation  was  all  at  once  interrupted  by  a  heavy 
thump  on  the  door,  and  in  marched  Peter,  who  stood  stock- 
still,  opening  his  eyes  with  astonishment,  when  he  caught  sight 
of  Heidi;  then  his  face  beamed  with  smiles  as  she  called  out, 
"Good-evening,  Peter." 

"What,  is  the  boy  back  from  school  already?"  exclaimed  the 
grandmother  in  surprise.  "  I  have  not  known  an  afternoon  pass 
so  quickly  as  this  one  for  years.  How  is  the  reading  getting  on, 
Peter?" 

"Just  the  same,"  was  Peter's  answer. 

The  old  woman  gave  a  little  sigh.  "Ah,  well,"  she  said,  "I 
hoped  you  would  have  something  different  to  tell  me  by  this 
time,  as  you  are  going  to  be  twelve  years  old  this  February." 

"What  was  it  that  you  hoped  he  would  have  to  tell  you?" 
asked  Heidi,  interested  in  all  the  grandmother  said. 

"I  mean  that  he  ought  to  have  learnt  to  read  a  bit  by  now," 
continued  the  grandmother.  "Up  there  on  the  shelf  is  an  old 
prayer-book,  with  beautiful  songs  in  it  which  I  have  not  heard 
for  a  long  time  and  cannot  now  remember  to  repeat  to  myself, 
and  I  hoped  that  Peter  would  soon  learn  enough  to  be  able  to 
read  one  of  them  to  me  sometimes;  but  he  finds  it  too  diffi- 
cult." 

[75] 


) 

HEIDI 

"I  must  get  a  light,  it  is  getting  too  dark  to  see,"  said 
Peter's  mother,  who  was  still  busy  mending  his  waistcoat. 
"I  feel  too  as  if  the  afternoon  had  gone  I  hardly  know  how." 

Heidi  now  jumped  up  from  her  low  chair,  and  holding  out 
her  hand  hastily  to  the  grandmother  said,  "  Good-night,  grand- 
mother, if  it  is  getting  dark  I  must  go  home  at  once,"  and  bid- 
ding good-bye  to  Peter  and  his  mother  she  went  towards  the 
door.  But  the  grandmother  called  out  in  an  anxious  voice, 
"Wait,  wait,  Heidi;  you  must  not  go  alone  like  that,  Peter 
must  go  with  you;  and  take  care  of  the  child,  Peter,  that  she 
does  not  fall,  and  don't  let  her  stand  still  for  fear  she  should  get 
frozen,  do  you  hear?  Has  she  got  anything  warm  to  put  around 
her  throat? " 

"I  have  not  anything  to  put  on,"  called  back  Heidi,  "but  I 
am  sure  I  shall  not  be  cold,"  and  with  that  she  ran  outside  and 
went  off  at  such  a  pace  that  Peter  had  difficulty  in  overtaking 
her.  The  grandmother,  still  in  distress,  called  out  to  her  daugh- 
ter, "Run  after  her,  Brigitta;  the  child  will  be  frozen  to  death 
on  such  a  night  as  this;  take  my  shawl,  run  quickly! " 

Brigitta  ran  out.  But  the  children  had  taken  but  a  few  steps 
before  they  saw  the  grandfather  coming  down  to  meet  them, 
and  in  another  minute  his  long  strides  had  brought  him  to  their 
side. 

"That's  right,  Heidi;  you  have  kept  your  word,"  said  the 
grandfather,  and  then  wrapping  the  sack  firmly  round  her  he 
lifted  her  in  his  arms  and  strode  off  with  her  up  the  mountain. 
Brigitta  was  just  in  time  to  see  him  do  all  this,  and  on  her 
return  to  the  hut  with  Peter  expressed  her  astonishment  to  the 
grandmother.    The  latter  was  equally  surprised,  and  kept  on 

[76] 


THE  VISIT  TO  GRANDMOTHER 

saying,  "  God  be  thanked  that  he  is  good  to  the  child,  God  be 
thanked !  Will  he  let  her  come  to  me  again,  I  wonder !  the  child 
has  done  me  so  much  good.  What  a  loving  little  heart  it  is,  and 
how  merrily  she  tells  her  tale!"  And  she  continued  to  dwell 
with  delight  on  the  thought  of  the  child  until  she  went  to  bed, 
still  saying  now  and  again,  "If  only  she  will  come  again!  Now 
I  have  really  something  left  in  the  world  to  take  pleasure  in." 
And  Brigitta  agreed  with  all  her  mother  said,  and  Peter  nodded 
his  head  in  approval  each  time  his  grandmother  spoke,  saying, 
with  a  broad  smile  of  satisfaction,  "  I  told  you  so ! " 

Meanwhile  Heidi  was  chattering  away  to  her  grandfather 
from  inside  her  sack;  her  voice,  however,  could  not  reach  him 
through  the  many  thick  folds  of  her  wrap,  and  as  therefore  it 
was  impossible  to  understand  a  word  she  was  saying,  he  called 
to  her,  "  Wait  till  we  get  home,  and  then  you  can  tell  me  all 
about  it."  They  had  no  sooner  got  inside  the  hut  than  Heidi, 
having  been  released  from  her  covering,  at  once  began  what 
she  had  to  say,  "Grandfather,  to-morrow  we  must  take  the 
hammer  and  the  long  nails  and  fasten  grandmother's  shutter, 
and  drive  in  a  lot  more  nails  in  other  places,  for  her  house 
shakes  and  rattles  all  over." 

"We  must,  must  we?  who  told  you  that?  "  asked  her  grand- 
father. 

"Nobody  told  me,  but  I  know  it  for  all  that,"  replied  Heidi, 
"for  everything  is  giving  way,  and  when  the  grandmother  can- 
not sleep,  she  lies  trembling  for  fear  at  the  noise,  for  she  thinks 
that  every  minute  the  house  will  fall  down  on  their  heads;  and 
everything  now  is  dark  for  grandmother,  and  she  does  not 
think  any  one  can  make  it  light  for  her  again,  but  you  will  be 

[77] 


HEIDI 

able  to,  I  am  sure,  grandfather.  Think  how  dreadful  it  is  for 
her  to  be  always  in  the  dark,  and  then  to  be  frightened  at  what 
may  happen,  and  nobody  can  help  her  but  you.  To-morrow  we 
must  go  and  help  her;  we  will,  won't  we,  grandfather?  " 

The  child  was  clinging  to  the  old  man  and  looking  up  at  him 
in  trustful  confidence.  The  grandfather  looked  down  at  Heidi 
for  a  while  without  speaking,  and  then  said,  "Yes,  Heidi,  we 
will  do  something  to  stop  the  rattling,  at  least  we  can  do  that; 
we  will  go  down  about  it  to-morrow!  " 

The  child  went  skipping  round  the  room  for  joy,  crying  out, 
"We  shall  go  to-morrow!  we  shall  go  to-morrow!" 

The  grandfather  kept  his  promise.  On  the  following  after- 
noon he  brought  the  sleigh  out  again,  and  as  on  the  previous 
day,  he  set  Heidi  down  at  the  door  of  the  grandmother's  hut 
and  said, ' '  Go  in  now,  and  when  it  grows  dark,  come  out  again. " 
Then  he  put  the  sack  in  the  sleigh  and  went  round  the  house. 

Heidi  had  hardly  opened  the  door  and  sprung  into  the  room 
when  the  grandmother  called  out  from  her  corner,  "It's  the 
child  again!  here  she  comes!"  and  in  her  delight  she  let  the 
thread  drop  from  her  fingers,  and  the  wheel  stood  still  as  she 
stretched  out  both  her  hands  in  welcome.  Heidi  ran  to  her,  and 
then  quickly  drew  the  little  stool  close  up  to  the  old  woman, 
and  seating  herself  upon  it,  began  to  tell  and  ask  her  all  kinds 
of  things.  All  at  once  came  the  sound  of  heavy  blows  against 
the  wall  of  the  hut  and  the  grandmother  gave  such  a  start  of 
alarm  that  she  nearly  upset  the  spinning-wheel,  and  cried  in  a 
trembling  voice,  "Ah,  my  God,  now  it  is  coming,  the  house  is 
going  to  fall  upon  us! "  But  Heidi  caught  her  by  the  arm,  and 
said  soothingly,  "No,  no,  grandmother,  do  not  be  frightened, 

[78] 


THE  VISIT  TO  GRANDMOTHER 

it  is  only  grandfather  with  his  hammer;  he  is  mending  up  every- 
thing, so  that  you  shan't  have  such  fear  and  trouble." 

"Is  it  possible!  is  it  really  possible!  so  the  dear  God  has  not 
forgotten  us!"  exclaimed  the  grandmother.  "Do  you  hear, 
Brigitta,  what  that  noise  is?  Did  you  hear  what  the  child  says? 
Now,  as  I  listen,  I  can  tell  it  is  a  hammer;  go  outside,  Brigitta, 
and  if  it  is  Aim-Uncle,  tell  him  he  must  come  inside  a  moment 
that  I  may  thank  him." 

Brigitta  went  outside  and  found  Aim-Uncle  in  the  act  of 
fastening  some  heavy  pieces  of  new  wood  along  the  wall.  She 
stepped  up  to  him  and  said,  "  Good-evening,  Uncle,  mother  and 
I  have  to  thank  you  for  doing  us  such  a  kind  service,  and  she 
would  like  to  tell  you  herself  how  grateful  she  is;  I  do  not  know 
who  else  would  have  done  it  for  us;  we  shall  not  forget  your 
kindness,  for  I  am  sure — " 

"That  will  do,"  said  the  old  man,  interrupting  her.  "I 
know  what  you  think  of  Aim-Uncle  without  your  telling  me. 
Go  indoors  again,  I  can  find  out  for  myself  where  the  mending 
is  wanted." 

Brigitta  obeyed  on  the  spot,  for  Uncle  had  a  way  with  him 
that  made  few  people  care  to  oppose  his  will.  He  went  on 
knocking  with  his  hammer  all  round  the  house,  and  then 
mounted  the  narrow  steps  to  the  roof,  and  hammered  away 
there,  until  he  had  used  up  all  the  nails  he  had  brought  with 
him.  Meanwhile  it  had  been  growing  dark,  and  he  had  hardly 
come  down  from  the  roof  and  dragged  the  sleigh  out  from 
behind  the  goat-shed  when  Heidi  appeared  outside.  The 
grandfather  wrapped  her  up  and  took  her  in  his  arms  as  he  had 
done  the  day  before,  for  although  he  had  to  drag  the  sleigh  up 

[  79  ] 


HEIDI 

the  mountain  after  him,  he  feared  that  if  the  child  sat  in  it 
alone  her  wrappings  would  fall  off  and  that  she  would  be  nearly 
if  not  quite  frozen,  so  he  carried  her  warm  and  safe  in  his  arms. 

So  the  winter  went  by.  After  many  years  of  joyless  life,  the 
blind  grandmother  had  at  last  found  something  to  make  her 
happy;  her  days  were  no  longer  passed  in  weariness  and  dark- 
ness, one  like  the  other  without  pleasure  or  change,  for  now 
she  had  always  something  to  which  she  could  look  forward. 
She  listened  for  the  little  tripping  footstep  as  soon  as  day  had 
come,  and  when  she  heard  the  door  open  and  knew  the  child 
was  really  there,  she  would  call  out,  "God  be  thanked,  she  has 
come  again ! "  And  Heidi  would  sit  by  her  and  talk  and  tell  her 
everything  she  knew  in  so  lively  a  manner  that  the  grand- 
mother never  noticed  how  the  time  went  by,  and  never  now  as 
formerly  asked  Brigitta,  "Isn't  the  day  done  yet?"  but  as  the 
child  shut  the  door  behind  her  on  leaving,  would  exclaim, 
"How  short  the  afternoon  has  seemed;  don't  you  think  so, 
Brigitta?"  And  this  one  would  answer,  "I  do  indeed;  it  seems 
as  if  I  had  only  just  cleared  away  the  mid-day  meal. "  And  the 
grandmother  would  continue,  "Pray  God  the  child  is  not  taken 
from  me,  and  that  Aim-Uncle  continues  to  let  her  come !  Does 
she  look  well  and  strong,  Brigitta?"  And  the  latter  would 
answer,  "She  looks  as  bright  and  rosy  as  an  apple. " 

And  Heidi  had  also  grown  very  fond  of  the  old  grandmother, 
and  when  at  last  she  knew  for  certain  that  no  one  could  make 
it  light  for  her  again,  she  was  overcome  with  sorrow;  but  the 
grandmother  told  her  again  that  she  felt  the  darkness  much  less 
when  Heidi  was  with  her,  and  so  every  fine  winter's  day  the 
child  came  traveling  down  in  her  sleigh.    The  grandfather 

[  80  ] 


THE  VISIT  TO  GRANDMOTHER 

always  took  her,  never  raising  any  objection;  indeed,  he  always 
carried  the  hammer  and  sundry  other  things  down  in  the  sleigh 
with  him,  and  many  an  afternoon  was  spent  by  him  in  making 
the  goatherd's  cottage  sound  and  tight.  It  no  longer  groaned 
and  rattled  the  whole  night  through,  and  the  grandmother, 
who  for  many  winters  had  not  been  able  to  sleep  in  peace  as 
she  did  now,  said  she  should  never  forget  what  the  Uncle  had 
done  for  her. 


[81] 


m&esmi&£3^samB&gm&&3&&*simii®m 


CHAPTER  V 
TWO  VISITS  AND  WHAT  CAME  OF  THEM 

QUICKLY  the  winter  passed,  and  still  more  quickly  the 
bright  glad  summer,  and  now  another  winter  was 
,  drawing  to  its  close.  Heidi  was  still  as  light-hearted 
and  happy  as  the  birds,  and  looked  forward  with  more  delight 
each  day  to  the  coming  spring,  when  the  warm  south  wind 
would  roar  through  the  fir  trees  and  blow  away  the  snow,  and 
the  warm  sun  would  entice  the  blue  and  yellow  flowers  to  show 
their  heads,  and  the  long  days  out  on  the  mountain  would  come 
again,  which  seemed  to  Heidi  the  greatest  joy  that  the  earth 
could  give.  Heidi  was  now  in  her  eighth  year;  she  had  learnt 
all  kinds  of  useful  things  from  her  grandfather;  she  knew  how 
to  look  after  the  goats  as  well  as  any  one,  and  Little  Swan  and 
Bear  would  follow  her  like  two  faithful  dogs,  and  give  a  loud 
bleat  of  pleasure  when  they  heard  her  voice.  Twice  during  the 
course  of  this  last  winter  Peter  had  brought  up  a  message  from 
the  schoolmaster  at  Dbrfli,  who  sent  word  to  Aim-Uncle  that 
he  ought  to  send  Heidi  to  school,  as  she  was  over  the  usual  age, 
and  ought  indeed  to  have  gone  the  winter  before.  Uncle  had 
sent  word  back  each  time  that  the  schoolmaster  would  find 
him  at  home  if  he  had  anything  he  wished  to  say  to  him,  but 
that  he  did  not  intend  to  send  Heidi  to  school,  and  Peter  had 
faithfully  delivered  his  message. 

When  the  March  sun  had  melted  the  snow  on  the  mountain- 
side and  the  snowdrops  were  peeping  out  all  over  the  valley, 

[85] 


HEIDI 

and  the  fir  trees  had  shaken  off  their  burden  of  snow  and  were 
again  merrily  waving  their  branches  in  the  air,  Heidi  ran  back- 
wards and  forwards  with  delight  first  to  the  goat-shed  then  to 
the  fir  trees,  and  then  to  the  hut  door,  in  order  to  let  her  grand- 
father know  how  much  larger  a  piece  of  green  there  was  under 
the  trees,  and  then  would  run  off  to  look  again,  for  she  could 
hardly  wait  till  everything  was  green  and  the  full  beautiful 
summer  had  clothed  the  mountain  with  grass  and  flowers.  As 
Heidi  was  thus  running  about  one  sunny  March  morning,  and 
had  just  jumped  over  the  water-trough  for  the  tenth  time  at 
least,  she  nearly  fell  backwards  into  it  with  fright,  for  there  in 
front  of  her,  looking  gravely  at  her,  stood  an  old  gentleman 
dressed  in  black.  When  he  saw  how  startled  she  was,  he  said  in 
a  kind  voice,  "Don't  be  afraid  of  me,  for  I  am  very  fond  of 
children.  Shake  hands!  You  must  be  the  Heidi  I  have  heard 
of;  where  is  your  grandfather?  " 

"He  is  sitting  by  the  table,  making  round  wooden  spoons," 
Heidi  informed  him,  as  she  opened  the  door. 

He  was  the  old  village  pastor  from  Dbrfli  who  had  been  a 
neighbor  of  Uncle's  when  he  lived  down  there,  and  had  known 
him  well.  He  stepped  inside  the  hut,  and  going  up  to  the  old 
man,  who  was  bending  over  his  work,  said,  "Good-morning, 
neighbor. " 

The  grandfather  looked  up  in  surprise,  and  then  rising  said 
"Good-morning"  in  return.  He  pushed  his  chair  towards  the 
visitor  as  he  continued,  "  If  you  do  not  mind  a  wooden  seat 
there  is  one  for  you. " 

The  pastor  sat  down.  "It  is  a  long  time  since  I  have  seen 
you,  neighbor, "  he  said. 

[86] 


TWO  VISITS  AND  WHAT  CAME  OF  THEM 

"Or  I  you,"  was  the  answer. 

"I  have  come  to-day  to  talk  over  something  with  you," 
continued  the  pastor.  "I  think  you  know  already  what  it  is 
that  has  brought  me  here,"  and  as  he  spoke  he  looked  towards 
the  child  who  was  standing  at  the  door,  gazing  with  interest 
and  surprise  at  the  stranger. 

"Heidi,  go  off  to  the  goats,"  said  her  grandfather.  "You 
take  them  a  little  salt  and  stay  with  them  till  I  come. " 

Heidi  vanished  on  the  spot. 

"The  child  ought  to  have  been  at  school  a  year  ago,  and 
most  certainly  this  last  winter,"  said  the  pastor.  "  The  school- 
master sent  you  word  about  it,  but  you  gave  him  no  answer. 
What  are  you  thinking  of  doing  with  the  child,  neighbor?  " 

"I  am  thinking  of  not  sending  her  to  school,"  was  the  an- 
swer. 

The  visitor,  surprised,  looked  across  at  the  old  man,  who  was 
sitting  on  his  bench  with  his  arms  crossed  and  a  determined 
expression  about  his  whole  person. 

"How  are  you  going  to  let  her  grow  up  then?"  he  asked. 

"  I  am  going  to  let  her  grow  up  and  be  happy  among  the  goats 
and  birds;  with  them  she  is  safe,  and  will  learn  nothing  evil." 

"  But  the  child  is  not  a  goat  or  a  bird,  she  is  a  human  being. 
If  she  learns  no  evil  from  these  comrades  of  hers,  she  will  at  the 
same  time  learn  nothing;  but  she  ought  not  to  grow  up  in  igno- 
rance, and  it  is  time  she  began  her  lessons.  I  have  come  now 
that  you  may  have  leisure  to  think  over  it,  and  to  arrange 
about  it  during  the  summer.  This  is  the  last  winter  that  she 
must  be  allowed  to  run  wild;  next  winter  she  must  come  regu- 
larly to  school  every  day." 

[  87  ] 


HEIDI 

"She  will  do  no  such  thing,"  said  the  old  man  with  calm 
determination. 

"Do  you  mean  that  by  no  persuasion  can  you  be  brought  to 
see  reason,  and  that  you  intend  to  stick  obstinately  to  your 
decision?"  said  the  pastor,  growing  somewhat  angry.  "You 
have  been  about  the  world,  and  must  have  seen  and  learnt 
much,  and  I  should  have  given  you  credit  for  more  sense, 
neighbor." 

"Indeed,"  replied  the  old  man,  and  there  was  a  tone  in  his 
voice  that  betrayed  a  growing  irritation  on  his  part  too,  "  and 
does  the  worthy  pastor  really  mean  that  he  would  wish  me 
next  winter  to  send  a  young  child  like  that  some  miles  down  the 
mountain  on  ice-cold  mornings,  through  storm  and  snow,  and 
let  her  return  at  night  when  the  wind  is  raging,  when  even  one 
like  ourselves  would  run  a  risk  of  being  blown  down  by  it  and 
buried  in  the  snow?  And  perhaps  he  may  not  have  forgotten 
the  child's  mother,  Adelaide?  She  was  a  sleep-walker,  and  had 
fits.  Might  not  the  child  be  attacked  in  the  same  way  if  obliged 
to  over-exert  herself?  And  some  one  thinks  they  can  come  and 
force  me  to  send  her?  I  will  go  before  all  the  courts  of  justice 
in  the  country,  and  then  we  shall  see  who  will  force  me  to  do 
it!" 

"You  are  quite  right,  neighbor,"  said  the  pastor  in  a  friendly 
tone  of  voice.  "  I  see  it  would  have  been  impossible  to  send  the 
child  to  school  from  here.  But  I  perceive  that  the  child  is  dear 
to  you;  for  her  sake  do  what  you  ought  to  have  done  long  ago: 
come  down  into  Dorfli  and  live  again  among  your  fellowrnen. 
What  sort  of  a  life  is  this  you  lead,  alone,  and  with  bitter 
thoughts  towards  God  and  man!    If  anything  were  to  happen 

[88] 


TWO  VISITS  AND  WHAT  CAME  OF  THEM 

to  you  up  here  who  would  there  be  to  help  you?  I  cannot 
think  but  what  you  must  be  half-frozen  to  death  in  this 
hut  in  the  winter,  and  I  do  not  know  how  the  child  lives 
through  it!" 

"The  child  has  young  blood  in  her  veins  and  a  good  roof 
over  her  head,  and  let  me  further  tell  the  pastor,  that  I  know 
where  wood  is  to  be  found,  and  when  is  the  proper  time  to 
fetch  it;  the  pastor  can  go  and  look  inside  my  wood-shed;  the 
fire  is  never  out  in  my  hut  the  whole  winter  through.  As  to 
going  to  live  below,  that  is  far  from  my  thoughts;  the  people 
despise  me  and  I  them;  it  is  therefore  best  for  all  of  us  that  we 
live  apart." 

"No,  no,  it  is  not  best  for  you;  I  know  what  it  is  you  lack," 
said  the  pastor  in  an  earnest  voice.  "As  to  the  people  down 
there  looking  on  you  with  dislike,  it  is  not  as  bad  as  you  think. 
Believe  me,  neighbor;  seek  to  make  your  peace  with  God,  pray 
for  forgiveness  where  you  need  it,  and  then  come  and  see  how 
differently  people  will  look  upon  you,  and  how  happy  you  may 
yet  be." 

The  pastor  had  risen  and  stood  holding  out  his  hand  to  the 
old  man  as  he  added  with  renewed  earnestness,  "  I  will  wager, 
neighbor,  that  next  winter  you  will  be  down  among  us  again, 
and  we  shall  be  good  neighbors  as  of  old.  I  should  be  very 
grieved  if  any  pressure  had  to  be  put  upon  you;  give  me  your 
hand  and  promise  me  that  you  will  come  and  live  with  us 
again  and  become  reconciled  to  God  and  man." 

Aim-Uncle  gave  the  pastor  his  hand  and  answered  him 
calmly  and  firmly,  "You  mean  well  by  me  I  know,  but  as  to 
that  which  you  wish  me  to  do,  I  say  now  what  I  shall  continue 

[89] 


HEIDI 

to  say,  that  I  will  not  send  the  child  to  school  nor  come  and  live 
among  you. " 

"Then  God  help  you!"  said  the  pastor,  and  he  turned  sadly 
away  and  left  the  hut  and  went  down  the  mountain. 

Aim-Uncle  was  out  of  humor.  When  Heidi  said  as  usual 
that  afternoon,  "Can  we  go  down  to  grandmother  now?"  he 
answered,  "Not  to-day."  He  did  not  speak  again  the  whole 
of  that  day,  and  the  following  morning  when  Heidi  again  asked 
the  same  question,  he  replied,  "We  will  see. "  But  before  the 
dinner  bowls  had  been  cleared  away  another  visitor  arrived, 
and  this  time  it  was  Cousin  Dete.  She  had  a  fine  feathered 
hat  on  her  head,  and  a  long  trailing  skirt  to  her  dress  which 
swept  the  floor,  and  on  the  floor  of  a  goatherd 's  hut  there  are  all 
sorts  of  things  that  do  not  belong  to  a  dress. 

The  grandfather  looked  her  up  and  down  without  uttering  a 
word.  But  Dete  was  prepared  with  an  exceedingly  amiable 
speech  and  began  at  once  to  praise  the  looks  of  the  child.  She 
was  looking  so  well  she  should  hardly  have  known  her  again, 
and  it  was  evident  that  she  had  been  happy  and  well-cared-for 
with  her  grandfather;  but  she  had  never  lost  sight  of  the  idea 
of  taking  the  child  back  again,  for  she  well  understood  that  the 
little  one  must  be  much  in  his  way,  but  she  had  not  been  able 
to  do  it  at  first.  Day  and  night,  however,  she  had  thought 
over  the  means  of  placing  the  child  somewhere,  and  that  was 
why  she  had  come  to-day,  for  she  had  just  heard  of  something 
that  would  be  a  lucky  chance  for  Heidi  beyond  her  most 
ambitious  hopes.  Some  immensely  wealthy  relatives  of  the 
people  she  was  serving,  who  had  the  most  splendid  house  al- 
most in  Frankfurt,  had  an  only  daughter,  young  and  an  invalid, 

[90] 


TWO  VISITS  AND  WHAT  CAME  OF  THEM 

who  was  always  obliged  to  go  about  in  a  wheeled  chair;  she  was 
therefore  very  much  alone  and  had  no  one  to  share  her  lessons, 
and  so  the  little  girl  felt  dull.  Her  father  had  spoken  to  Dete  's 
mistress  about  finding  a  companion  for  her,  and  her  mistress 
was  anxious  to  help  in  the  matter,  as  she  felt  so  sympathetic 
about  it.  The  lady-housekeeper  had  described  the  sort  of 
child  they  wanted,  simple-minded  and  unspoilt,  and  not  like 
most  of  the  children  that  one  saw  now-a-days.  Dete  had 
thought  at  once  of  Heidi  and  had  gone  off  without  delay  to  see 
the  lady-housekeeper,  and  after  Dete  had  given  her  a  descrip- 
tion of  Heidi,  she  had  immediately  agreed  to  take  her.  And 
no  one  could  tell  what  good  fortune  there  might  not  be  in  store 
for  Heidi,  for  if  she  was  once  with  these  people  and  they  took  a 
fancy  to  her,  and  anything  happened  to  their  own  daughter — 
one  could  never  tell,  the  child  was  so  weakly — and  they  did  not 
feel  they  could  live  without  a  child,  why  then  the  most  unheard- 
of  luck — 

"Have  you  nearly  finished  what  you  had  to  say?"  broke  in 
Aim-Uncle,  who  had  allowed  her  to  talk  on  uninterruptedly  so 
far. 

"Ugh!"  exclaimed  Dete,  throwing  up  her  head  in  disgust, 
"one  would  think  I  had  been  talking  to  you  about  the  most 
ordinary  matter;  why  there  is  not  one  person  in  all  Prattigau 
who  would  not  thank  God  if  I  were  to  bring  them  such  a  piece 
of  news  as  I  am  bringing  you." 

"You  may  take  your  news  to  anybody  you  like,  I  will  have 
nothing  to  do  with  it. " 

But  now  Dete  leaped  up  from  her  seat  like  a  rocket  and  cried, 
"If  that  is  all  you  have  to  say  about  it,  why  then  I  will  give  you 

[91] 


HEIDI 

a  bit  of  my  mind.  The  child  is  now  eight  years  old  and 
knows  nothing,  and  you  will  not  let  her  learn.  You  will  not 
send  her  to  church  or  school,  as  I  was  told  down  in  Dorfli,  and 
she  is  my  own  sister's  child.  I  am  responsible  for  what  hap- 
pens to  her,  and  when  there  is  such  a  good  opening  for  a  child, 
as  this  which  offers  for  Heidi,  only  a  person  who  cares  for  no- 
body and  never  wishes  good  to  any  one  would  think  of  not 
jumping  at  it.  But  I  am  not  going  to  give  in,  and  that  I  tell 
you;  I  have  everybody  in  Dorfli  on  my  side;  there  is  not  one 
person  there  who  will  not  take  my  part  against  you ;  and  I  ad- 
vise you  to  think  well  before  bringing  it  into  court,  if  that  is 
your  intention;  there  are  certain  things  which  might  be 
brought  up  against  you  which  you  would  not  care  to  hear,  for 
when  one  has  to  do  with  law-courts  there  is  a  great  deal  raked 
up  that  had  been  forgotten." 

"Be  silent!"  thundered  the  Uncle,  and  his  eyes  flashed  with 
anger.  "Go  and  be  done  with  you!  and  never  let  me  see  you 
again  with  your  hat  and  feather,  and  such  words  on  your 
tongue  as  you  come  with  to-day!"  And  with  that  he  strode 
out  of  the  hut. 

"You  have  made  grandfather  angry,"  said  Heidi,  and  her 
dark  eyes  had  anything  but  a  friendly  expression  in  them  as  she 
looked  at  Dete. 

"He  will  soon  be  all  right  again;  come  now,"  said  Dete 
hurriedly,  "and  show  me  where  your  clothes  are." 

"I  am  not  coming,"  said  Heidi. 

"Nonsense,"  continued  Dete;  then  altering  her  tone  to  one 
half -coaxing,  half-cross,  "Come,  come,  you  do  not  understand 
any  better  than  your  grandfather;   you  will  have  all  sorts  of 

[92] 


TWO  VISITS  AND  WHAT  CAME  OF  THEM 

good  things  that  you  never  dreamed  of. "  Then  she  went  to 
the  cupboard  and  taking  out  Heidi's  things  rolled  them  up  in  a 
bundle.  "Come  along  now,  there's  your  hat;  it  is  very 
shabby  but  will  do  for  the  present;  put  it  on  and  let  us  make 
haste  off. " 

"I  am  not  coming,"  repeated  Heidi. 

"Don't  be  so  stupid  and  obstinate,  like  a  goat;  I  suppose 
it's  from  the  goats  you  have  learnt  to  be  so.  Listen  to  me: 
you  saw  your  grandfather  was  angry  and  heard  what  he  said, 
that  he  did  not  wish  to  see  us  ever  again ;  he  wants  you  now  to 
go  away  with  me  and  you  must  not  make  him  angrier  still. 
You  can 't  think  how  nice  it  is  at  Frankfurt,  and  what  a  lot  of 
things  you  will  see,  and  if  you  do  not  like  it  you  can  come  back 
again;  your  grandfather  will  be  in  a  good  temper  again  by  that 
time. " 

"Can  I  return  at  once  and  be  back  home  again  here  this 
evening?"  asked  Heidi. 

"What  are  you  talking  about,  come  along  now!  I  tell  you 
that  you  can  come  back  here  when  you  like.  To-day  we  shall 
go  as  far  as  Mayenfeld,  and  early  to-morrow  we  shall  start  in 
the  train,  and  that  will  bring  you  home  again  in  no  time  when 
you  wish  it,  for  it  goes  as  fast  as  the  wind. " 

Dete  had  now  got  the  bundle  under  her  arm  and  the  child  by 
the  hand,  and  so  they  went  down  the  mountain  together. 

As  it  was  still  too  early  in  the  year  to  take  his  goats  out, 
Peter  continued  to  go  to  school  at  Dorfli,  but  now  and  again 
he  stole  a  holiday,  for  he  could  see  no  use  in  learning  to  read, 
while  to  wander  about  a  bit  and  look  for  stout  sticks  which 
might  be  wanted  some  day  he  thought  a  far  better  employment. 

[93] 


HEIDI 

As  Dete  and  Heidi  neared  the  grandmother's  hut  they  met 
Peter  coming  round  the  corner;  he  had  evidently  been  well  re- 
warded that  day  for  his  labors,  for  he  was  carrying  an  immense 
bundle  of  long  thick  hazel  sticks  on  his  shoulders.  He  stood 
still  and  stared  at  the  two  approaching  figures;  as  they  came 
up  to  him,  he  exclaimed,   "Where  are  you  going,  Heidi?" 

"I  am  only  just  going  over  to  Frankfurt  for  a  little  visit  with 
Dete,"  she  replied;  "but  I  must  first  run  in  to  grandmother, 
she  will  be  expecting  me. " 

"No,  no,  you  must  not  stop  to  talk;  it  is  already  too  late," 
said  Dete,  holding  Heidi,  who  was  struggling  to  get  away,  fast 
by  the  hand.  "You  can  go  in  when  you  come  back,  you  must 
come  along  now, "  and  she  pulled  the  child  on  with  her,  fearing 
that  if  she  let  her  go  in  Heidi  might  take  it  into  her  head  again 
that  she  did  not  wish  to  come,  and  that  the  grandmother  might 
stand  by  her.  Peter  ran  into  the  hut  and  banged  against  the 
table  with  his  bundle  of  sticks  with  such  violence  that  every- 
thing in  the  room  shook,  and  his  grandmother  leaped  up  with  a 
cry  of  alarm  from  her  spinning-wheel.  Peter  had  felt  that  he 
must  give  vent  to  his  feelings  somehow. 

"What  is  the  matter?  What  is  the  matter?"  cried  the 
frightened  old  woman,  while  his  mother,  who  had  also  started 
up  from  her  seat  at  the  shock,  said  in  her  usual  patient  manner, 
"What  is  it,  Peter?  why  do  you  behave  so  roughly?" 

"Because  she  is  taking  Heidi  away,"  explained  Peter. 

"Who?  who?  where  to,  Peter,  where  to?"  asked  the  grand- 
mother, growing  still  more  agitated;  but  even  as  she  spoke  she 
guessed  what  had  happened,  for  Brigitta  had  told  her  shortly 
before  that  she  had  seen  Dete  going  up  to  Aim-Uncle.     The 

[94] 


TWO  VISITS  AND  WHAT  CAME  OF  THEM 

old  woman  rose  hastily  and  with  trembling  hands  opened  the 
window  and  called  out  beseechingly,  "Dete,  Dete,  do  not  take 
the  child  away  from  us !  do  not  take  her  away ! " 

The  two  who  were  hastening  down  the  mountain  heard  her 
voice,  and  Dete  evidently  caught  the  words,  for  she  grasped 
Heidi's  hand  more  firmly.  Heidi  struggled  to  get  free,  cry- 
ing, "Grandmother  is  calling,  I  must  go  to  her." 

But  Dete  had  no  intention  of  letting  the  child  go,  and 
quieted  her  as  best  she  could;  they  must  make  haste  now,  she 
said,  or  they  would  be  too  late  and  not  able  to  go  on  the  next 
day  to  Frankfurt,  and  there  the  child  would  see  how  delightful 
it  was,  and  Dete  was  sure  would  not  wish  to  go  back  when  she 
was  once  there.  But  if  Heidi  wanted  to  return  home  she 
could  do  so  at  once,  and  then  she  could  take  something  she 
liked  back  to  grandmother.  This  was  a  new  idea  to  Heidi, 
and  it  pleased  her  so  much  that  Dete  had  no  longer  any  diffi- 
culty in  getting  her  along. 

After  a  few  minutes'  silence,  Heidi  asked,  "What  could  I 
take  back  to  her?" 

"We  must  think  of  something  nice,"  answered  Dete;  "a 
soft  roll  of  white  bread;  she  would  enjoy  that,  for  now  she  is 
old  she  can  hardly  eat  the  hard,  black  bread. " 

"No,  she  always  gives  it  back  to  Peter,  telling  him  it  is  too 
hard,  for  I  have  seen  her  do  it  myself, "  affirmed  Heidi.  "Do 
let  us  make  haste,  for  then  perhaps  we  can  get  back  soon  from 
Frankfurt,  and  I  shall  be  able  to  give  her  the  white  bread  to- 
day."  And  Heidi  started  off  running  so  fast  that  Dete  with 
the  bundle  under  her  arm  could  scarcely  keep  up  with  her. 
But  she  was  glad,  nevertheless,  to  get  along  so  quickly,  for 

[95] 


HEIDI 

they  were  nearing  Dorfli,  where  her  friends  would  probably 
talk  and  question  in  a  way  that  might  put  other  ideas  into 
Heidi 's  head.  So  she  went  on  straight  ahead  through  the  vil- 
lage, holding  Heidi  tightly  by  the  hand,  so  that  they  might  all 
see  that  it  was  on  the  child 's  account  she  was  hurrying  along 
at  such  a  rate.  To  all  their  questions  and  remarks  she  made 
answer  as  she  passed,  "I  can't  stop  now,  as  you  see,  I  must 
make  haste  with  the  child  as  we  have  yet  some  way  to  go." 

"Are  you  taking  her  away?"  "Is  she  running  away  from 
Aim-Uncle?  "  "  It 's  a  wonder  she  is  still  alive ! "  " But  what 
rosy  cheeks  she  has ! "  Such  were  the  words  which  rang  out  on 
all  sides,  and  Dete  was  thankful  that  she  had  not  to  stop  and 
give  any  distinct  answers  to  them,  while  Heidi  hurried  eagerly 
forward  without  saying  a  word. 

From  that  day  forward  Aim-Uncle  looked  fiercer  and  more 
forbidding  than  ever  when  he  came  down  and  passed  through 
Dorfli.  He  spoke  to  no  one,  and  looked  such  an  ogre  as  he 
came  along  with  his  pack  of  cheeses  on  his  back,  his  immense 
stick  in  his  hand,  and  his  thick,  frowning  eyebrows,  that  the 
women  would  call  to  their  little  ones,  "Take  care!  get  out  of 
Aim-Uncle's  way  or  he  may  hurt  you!" 

The  old  man  took  no  notice  of  anybody  as  he  strode  through 
the  village  on  his  way  to  the  valley  below,  where  he  sold  his 
cheeses  and  bought  what  bread  and  meat  he  wanted  for  him- 
self. After  he  had  passed  the  villagers  all  crowded  together 
looking  after  him,  and  each  had  something  to  say  about  him : 
how  much  wilder  he  looked  than  usual,  how  now  he  would  not 
even  respond  to  anybody's  greeting,  while  they  all  agreed  that 
it  was  a  great  mercy  the  child  had  got  away  from  him,  and  had 

[96] 


TWO  VISITS  AND  WHAT  CAME  OF  THEM 

they  not  all  noticed  how  the  child  had  hurried  along  as  if 
afraid  that  her  grandfather  might  be  following  to  take  her 
back?  Only  the  blind  grandmother  would  have  nothing  to  say 
against  him,  and  told  those  who  came  to  her  to  bring  her  work, 
or  take  away  what  she  had  spun,  how  kind  and  thoughtful  he 
had  been  with  the  child,  how  good  to  her  and  her  daughter,  and 
how  many  afternoons  he  had  spent  mending  the  house  which, 
but  for  his  help,  would  certainly  by  this  time  have  fallen  down 
over  their  heads.  And  all  this  was  repeated  down  in  Dorfli; 
but  most  of  the  people  who  heard  it  said  that  grandmother  was 
too  old  to  understand,  and  very  likely  had  not  heard  rightly 
what  was  said;  as  she  was  blind  she  was  probably  also  deaf. 

Aim-Uncle  went  no  more  now  to  the  grandmother's  house, 
and  it  was  well  that  he  had  made  it  so  safe,  for  it  was  not 
touched  again  for  a  long  time.  The  days  were  sad  again  now 
for  the  old  blind  woman,  and  not  one  passed  but  what  she 
would  murmur  complainingly,  "Alas!  all  our  happiness  and 
pleasure  have  gone  with  the  child,  and  now  the  days  are  so 
long  and  dreary !  Pray  God,  I  see  Heidi  again  once  more  before 
I  die!" 


[97] 


CHAPTER  VI 
A  NEW  CHAPTER  ABOUT  NEW  THINGS 

IN  her  home  at  Frankfurt,  Clara,  the  little  daughter  of  Herr 
Sesemann,  was  lying  on  the  invalid  couch  on  which  she 
spent  her  whole  day,  being  wheeled  in  it  from  room  to 
room.  Just  now  she  was  in  what  was  known  as  the  study, 
where,  to  judge  by  the  various  things  standing  and  lying  about, 
which  added  to  the  cosy  appearance  of  the  room,  the  family 
was  fond  of  sitting.  A  handsome  bookcase  with  glass  doors 
explained  why  it  was  called  the  study,  and  here  evidently  the 
little  girl  was  accustomed  to  have  her  lessons. 

Clara's  little  face  was  thin  and  pale,  and  at  this  moment  her 
two  soft  blue  eyes  were  fixed  on  the  clock,  which  seemed  to  her 
to  go  very  slowly  this  day,  and  with  a  slight  accent  of  impa- 
tience, which  was  very  rare  with  her,  she  asked,  "Isn't  it  time 
yet,  Fraulein  Rottenmeier?" 

This  lady  was  sitting  very  upright  at  a  small  work-table, 
busy  with  her  embroidery.  She  had  on  a  mysterious-looking 
loose  garment,  a  large  collar  or  shoulder-cape  that  gave  a  cer- 
tain solemnity  to  her  appearance,  which  was  enhanced  by  a 
very  lofty  dome-shaped  head-dress.  For  many  years  past, 
since  the  mistress  of  the  house  had  died,  the  housekeeping  and 
the  superintendence  of  the  servants  had  been  entrusted  by 
Herr  Sesemann  to  Fraulein  Rottenmeier.  He  himself  was  often 
away  from  home,  and  he  left  her  in  sole  charge,  with  the  condi- 

[  101  ] 


HEIDI 

tion  only  that  his  little  daughter  should  have  a  voice  in  all 
matters,  and  that  nothing  should  be  done  against  her  wish. 

As  Clara  was  putting  her  impatient  question  for  the  secozid 
time,  Dete  and  Heidi  arrived  at  the  front  door,  and  the  former 
inquired  of  the  coachman,  who  had  just  got  down  from  his 
box,  if  it  was  too  late  to  see  Fraulein  Rottemneier. 

"That's  not  my  business,"  grumbled  the  coachman;  "ring 
the  bell  in  the  hall  for  Sebastian." 

Dete  did  so,  and  Sebastian  came  downstairs;  he  looked 
astonished  when  he  saw  her,  opening  his  eyes  till  they  were 
nearly  as  big  as  the  large  round  buttons  on  his  coat. 

"Is  it  too  late  for  me  to  see  Fraulein  Rottenmeier?"  Dete 
asked  again. 

"That's  not  my  business,"  answered  the  man;  "ring  that 
other  bell  for  the  maid  Tinette,"  and  without  troubling  him- 
self any  farther  Sebastian  disappeared. 

Dete  rang  again.  This  time  Tinette  appeared  with  a  spotless 
white  cap  perched  on  the  top  of  her  head  and  a  mocking  expres- 
sion of  face. 

"What  is  it?"  she  called  from  the  top  of  the  stairs.  Dete 
repeated  her  question.  Tinette  disappeared,  but  soon  came 
back  and  called  down  again  to  Dete,  "  Come  up,  she  is  expect- 
ing you." 

Dete  and  Heidi  went  upstairs  and  into  the  study,  Tinette 
following.  Dete  remained  standing  politely  near  the  door,  still 
holding  Heidi  tightly  by  the  hand,  for  she  did  not  know  what 
the  child  might  take  it  into  her  head  to  do  amid  these  new 
surroundings. 

Fraulein  Rottenmeier  rose  slowly  and  went  up  to  the  little 

[  102  ] 


A  NEW  CHAPTER  ABOUT  NEW  THINGS 

new  companion  for  the  daughter  of  the  house,  to  see  what  she 
was  like.  She  did  not  seem  very  pleased  with  her  appearance. 
Heidi  was  dressed  in  her  plain  little  woollen  frock,  and  her  hat 
was  an  old  straw  one  bent  out  of  shape.  The  child  looked  inno- 
cently out  from  beneath  it,  gazing  with  unconcealed  astonish- 
ment at  the  lady's  towering  head  dress. 

"What  is  your  name?"  asked  Fraulein  Rottenmeier,  after 
scrutinizingly  examining  the  child  for  some  minutes,  while 
Heidi  in  return  kept  her  eyes  steadily  fixed  upon  the  lady. 

"Heidi,"  she  answered  in  a  clear,  ringing  voice. 

"What?  what?  that's  no  Christian  name  for  a  child;  you 
were  not  christened  that.  What  name  did  they  give  you  when 
you  were  baptized?"  continued  Fraulein  Rottenmeier. 

"I  do  not  remember,"  replied  Heidi. 

"What  a  way  to  answer  !"  said  the  lady,  shaking  her  head. 
"Dete,  is  the  child  a  simpleton  or  only  saucy?  " 

"If  the  lady  will  allow  me,  I  will  speak  for  the  child,  for  she 
is  very  unaccustomed  to  strangers,"  said  Dete,  who  had  given 
Heidi  a  silent  poke  for  making  such  an  unsuitable  answer. 
"  She  is  certainly  not  stupid  nor  yet  saucy,  she  does  not  know 
what  it  means  even;  she  speaks  exactly  as  she  thinks.  To-day 
she  is  for  the  first  time  in  a  gentleman's  house  and  she  does  not 
know  good  manners;  but  she  is  docile  and  very  willing  to  learn, 
if  the  lady  will  kindly  make  excuses  for  her.  She  was  christened 
Adelaide,  after  her  mother,  my  sister,  who  is  now  dead." 

"Well,  that's  a  name  that  one  can  pronounce,"  remarked 
Fraulein  Rottenmeier.  "But  I  must  tell  you,  Dete,  that  I  am 
astonished  to  see  so  young  a  child.  I  told  you  that  I  wanted  a 
companion  of  the  same  age  as  the  young  lady  of  the  house,  one 

[  103  ] 


HEIDI 

who  could  share  her  lessons,  and  all  her  other  occupations. 
Fraulein  Clara  is  now  over  twelve;  what  age  is  this  child?" 

"If  the  lady  will  allow  me,"  began  Dete  again,  in  her  usual 
fluent  manner,  "I  myself  had  lost  count  of  her  exact  age;  she  is 
certainly  a  little  younger,  but  not  much ;  I  cannot  say  precisely, 
but  I  think  she  is  ten,  or  thereabouts." 

"  Grandfather  told  me  I  was  eight,"  put  in  Heidi.  Dete  gave 
her  another  poke,  but  as  the  child  had  not  the  least  idea  why 
she  did  so  she  was  not  at  all  confused. 

"What — only  eight!"  cried  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  angrily. 
"Four  years  too  young!  Of  what  use  is  such  a  child!  And 
what  have  you  learnt?  What  books  did  you  have  to  learn 
from?" 

"  None,"  said  Heidi. 

"How?  what?  How  then  did  you  learn  to  read?  "  continued 
the  lady. 

"I  have  never  learnt  to  read,  or  Peter  either,"  Heidi  in- 
formed her. 

"Mercy  upon  us!  you  do  not  know  how  to  read!  Is  it  really 
so?"  exclaimed  Fraulein  Rottenmeier,  greatly  horrified.  "Is 
it  possible — not  able  to  read?  What  have  you  learnt  then?" 

"Nothing,"  said  Heidi  with  unflinching  truthfulness. 

"Young  woman,"  said  the  lady  to  Dete,  after  having 
paused  for  a  minute  or  two  to  recover  from  her  shock,  "  this  is 
not  at  all  the  sort  of  companion  you  led  me  to  suppose;  how 
could  you  think  of  bringing  me  a  child  like  this?  " 

But  Dete  was  not  to  be  put  down  so  easily,  and  answered 
warmly,  "If  the  lady  will  allow  me,  the  child  is  exactly  what  I 
thought  she  required;  the  lady  described  what  she  wished  for, 

[104] 


"  I  am  never  called  anything;  but  Heidi."       {Page  io5) 


A  NEW  CHAPTER  ABOUT  NEW  THINGS 

a  child  unlike  all  other  children,  and  I  could  find  no  other  to 
suit,  for  the  greater  number  I  know  are  not  peculiar,  but  one 
very  much  the  same  as  the  other,  and  I  thought  this  child 
seemed  as  if  made  for  the  place.  But  I  must  go  now,  for  my 
mistress  will  be  waiting  for  me;  if  the  lady  will  permit  I  will 
come  again  soon  and  see  how  she  is  getting  on."  And  with  a 
bow  Dete  quickly  left  the  room  and  ran  downstairs.  Fraulein 
Rottenmeier  stood  for  a  moment  taken  aback  and  then  ran 
after  Dete.  If  the  child  was  to  stop  she  had  many  things  yet 
to  say  and  ask  about  her,  and  there  the  child  was,  and  what 
was  more,  Dete,  as  she  plainly  saw,  meant  to  leave  her  there. 

Heidi  remained  by  the  door  where  she  had  been  standing 
since  she  first  came  in.  Clara  had  looked  on  during  the  inter- 
view without  speaking;  now  she  beckoned  to  Heidi  and  said, 
"Come  here!" 

Heidi  went  up  to  her. 

"Would  you  rather  be  called  Heidi  or  Adelaide?"  asked 
Clara. 

"I  am  never  called  anything  but  Heidi,"  was  the  child's 
prompt  answer. 

"Then  I  shall  always  call  you  by  that  name,"  said  Clara, 
"  it  suits  you.  I  have  never  heard  it  before,  but  neither  have  I 
ever  seen  a  child  like  you  before.  Have  you  always  had  that 
short  curly  hair?  " 

"  Yes,  I  think  so,"  said  Heidi. 

"Are  you  pleased  to  come  to  Frankfurt?"  went  on  Clara. 

"No,  but  I  shall  go  home  to-morrow  and  take  grandmother 
a  white  loaf,"  explained  Heidi. 

"Well,  you  are  a  funny  child!"  exclaimed    Clara.     "You 

'    [105] 


HEIDI 

were  expressly  sent  for  to  come  here  and  to  remain  with  me 
and  share  my  lessons;  there  will  be  some  fun  about  them  now 
as  you  cannot  read,  something  new  to  do,  for  often  they  are 
dreadfully  dull,  and  I  think  the  morning  will  never  pass  away. 
You  know  my  tutor  comes  every  morning  at  about  ten  o'clock, 
and  then  we  go  on  with  lessons  till  two,  and  it  does  seem  such  a 
long  time.  Sometimes  he  takes  up  the  book  and  holds  it  close 
up  to  his  face,  as  if  he  was  very  short-sighted,  but  I  know  it's 
only  because  he  wants  so  dreadfully  to  gape,  and  Fraulein 
Rottenmeier  takes  her  large  handkerchief  out  also  now  and 
then  and  covers  her  face  with  it,  as  if  she  was  moved  by  what 
we  had  been  reading,  but  that  is  only  because  she  is  longing  to 
gape  too.  And  I  myself  often  want  to  gape,  but  I  am  obliged 
to  stop  myself,  for  if  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  sees  me  gaping  she 
runs  off  at  once  and  fetches  the  cod-liver  oil  and  says  I  must 
have  a  dose,  as  I  am  getting  weak  again,  and  the  cod-liver  oil 
is  horrible,  so  I  do  my  best  not  to  gape.  But  now  it  will  be 
much  more  amusing,  for  I  shall  be  able  to  lie  and  listen  while 
you  learn  to  read." 

Heidi  shook  her  head  doubtfully  when  she  heard  of  learning 
to  read. 

'"Oh,  nonsense,  Heidi,  of  course  you  must  learn  to  read, 
everybody  must,  and  my  tutor  is  very  kind,  and  never  cross, 
and  he  will  explain  everything  to  you.  But  mind,  when  he 
explains  anything  to  you,  you  won't  be  able  to  understand;  but 
don't  ask  any  questions,  or  else  he  will  go  on  explaining  and 
you  will  understand  less  than  ever.  Later  when  you  have 
learnt  more  and  know  about  things  yourself,  then  you  will 
begin  to  understand  what  he  meant." 

[106] 


A  NEW  CHAPTER  ABOUT  NEW  THINGS 

Fraulein  Rottenmeier  now  came  back  into  the  room ;  she  had 
not  been  able  to  overtake  Dete,  and  was  evidently  very  much 
put  out;  for  she  had  wanted  to  go  into  more  details  concerning 
the  child,  and  to  convince  Dete  how  misleading  she  had  been, 
and  how  unfit  Heidi  was  as  a  companion  for  Clara;  she  really 
did  not  know  what  to  be  about,  or  how  to  undo  the  mischief, 
and  it  made  her  all  the  more  angry  that  she  herself  was  respon- 
sible for  it,  having  consented  to  Heidi  being  fetched.  She  ran 
backwards  and  forwards  in  a  state  of  agitation  between  the 
study  and  the  dining-room,  and  then  began  scolding  Sebastian, 
who  was  standing  looking  at  the  table  he  had  just  finished 
laying  to  see  that  nothing  was  missing. 

"You  can  finish  your  thoughts  to-morrow  morning;  make 
haste,  or  we  shall  get  no  dinner  to-day  at  all. " 

Then  hurrying  out  she  called  Tinette,  but  in  such  an  ill- 
tempered  voice  that  the  maid  came  tripping  forward  with  even 
more  mincing  steps  than  usual,  but  she  looked  so  pert  that  even 
Fraulein  Rottenmeier  did  not  venture  to  scold  her,  which  only 
made  her  suppressed  anger  the  greater. 

"See  that  the  room  is  prepared  for  the  little  girl  who  has  just 
arrived,"  said  the  lady,  with  a  violent  effort  at  self-control. 
"Everything  is  ready;   it  only  wants  dusting." 

"It's  worth  my  troubling  about,"  said  Tinette  mockingly 
as  she  turned  away. 

Meanwhile  Sebastian  had  flung  open  the  folding  doors  lead- 
ing into  the  dining-room  with  rather  more  noise  than  he  need, 
for  he  was  feeling  furious,  although  he  did  not  dare  answer 
back  when  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  spoke  to  him;  he  then  went 
up  to  Clara's  chair  to  wheel  her  into  the  next  room.  As  he  was 

[  107  ] 


HEIDI 

arranging  the  handle  at  the  back  preparatory  to  doing  so, 
Heidi  went  near  and  stood  staring  at  him.  Seeing  her  eyes 
fixed  upon  him,  he  suddenly  growled  out,  "Well,  what  is  there 
in  me  to  stare  at  like  that?"  which  he  would  certainly  not  have 
done  if  he  had  been  aware  that  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  was  just 
then  entering  the  room.  "You  look  so  like  Peter,"  answered 
Heidi.  The  lady -housekeeper  clasped  her  hands  in  horror.  "  Is  it 
possible!"  she  stammered  half -aloud,  "she  is  now  addressing 
the  servant  as  if  he  were  a  friend !  I  never  could  have  imagined 
such  a  child ! " 

Sebastian  wheeled  the  couch  into  the  dining-room  and  helped 
Clara  on  to  her  chair.  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  took  the  seat  be- 
side her  and  made  a  sign  to  Heidi  to  take  the  one  opposite. 
They  were  the  only  three  at  table,  and  as  they  sat  far  apart 
there  was  plenty  of  room  for  Sebastian  to  hand  his  dishes. 
Beside  Heidi 's  plate  lay  a  nice  white  roll,  and  her  eyes  lighted 
up  with  pleasure  as  she  saw  it.  The  resemblance  which  Heidi 
had  noticed  had  evidently  awakened  in  her  a  feeling  of  confi- 
dence towards  Sebastian,  for  she  sat  as  still  as  a  mouse  and  with- 
out moving  until  he  came  up  to  her  side  and  handed  her  the 
dish  of  fish;  then  she  looked  at  the  roll  and  asked,  "Can  I 
have  it?"  Sebastian  nodded,  throwing  a  side  glance  at  Frau- 
lein Rottenmeier  to  see  what  effect  this  request  would  have 
upon  her.  Heidi  immediately  seized  the  roll  and  put  it  in  her 
pocket.  Sebastian's  face  became  convulsed,  he  was  overcome 
with  inward  laughter  but  knew  his  place  too  well  to  laugh 
aloud.  Mute  and  motionless  he  still  remained  standing  beside 
Heidi;  it  was  not  his  duty  to  speak,  nor  to  move  away  until 
she  had  helped  herself.    Heidi  looked  wonderingly  at  him  for  a 

[  108  ] 


A  NEW  CHAPTER  ABOUT  NEW  THINGS 

minute  or  two,  and  then  said,  "  Am  I  to  eat  some  of  that  too?  " 
Sebastian  nodded  again.  "Give  me  some  then,"  she  said, 
looking  calmly  at  her  plate.  At  this  Sebastian's  command 
of  his  countenance  became  doubtful,  and  the  dish  began  to 
tremble  suspiciously  in  his  hands. 

"You  can  putthedish  on  the  table  and  come  back  presently," 
said  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  with  a  severe  expression  of  face. 
Sebastian  disappeared  on  the  spot.  "As  for  you,  Adelaide,  I 
see  I  shall  have  to  teach  you  the  first  rules  of  behavior, "  con- 
tinued the  lady -housekeeper  with  a  sigh.  "I  will  begin  by  ex- 
plaining to  you  how  you  are  to  conduct  yourself  at  table, "  and 
she  went  on  to  give  Heidi  minute  instructions  as  to  all  she  was  to 
do.  "  And  now, "  she  continued,  "  I  must  make  you  particularly 
understand  that  you  are  not  to  speak  to  Sebastian  at  table  or 
at  any  other  time,  unless  you  have  an  order  to  give  him,  or  a 
necessary  question  to  put  to  him;  and  then  you  are  not  to  ad- 
dress him  as  if  he  was  some  one  belonging  to  you.  Never  let 
me  hear  you  speak  to  him  in  that  way  again !  It  is  the  same  with 
Tinette,  and  for  myself  you  are  to  address  me  as  you  hear  others 
doing.     Clara  must  herself  decide  what  you  are  to  call  her." 

"Why,  Clara,  of  course,"  put  the  latter.  Then  followed  a 
long  list  of  rules  as  to  general  behavior,  getting  up  and  going  to 
bed,  going  in  and  out  of  the  room,  shutting  the  doors,  keeping 
everything  tidy,  during  the  course  of  which  Heidi's  eyes 
gradually  closed,  for  she  had  been  up  before  five  o'clock  that 
morning  and  had  had  a  long  journey.  She  leaned  back  in  her 
chair  and  fell  fast  asleep.  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  having  at  last 
come  to  the  end  of  her  sermonizing  said,  "Now  remember  what 
J  have  said,  Adelaide!  Have  you  understood  it  all?" 
\  [  109  ] 


HEIDI 

"Heidi  has  been  asleep  for  ever  so  long,"  said  Clara,  her 
face  rippling  all  over  with  amusement,  for  she  had  not  had  such 
an  entertaining  dinner  for  a  long  time. 

"It  is  really  insupportable  what  one  has  to  go  through  with 
this  child,"  exclaimed  Fraulein  Rottenmeier,  in  great  indigna- 
tion, and  she  rang  the  bell  so  violently  that  Tinette  and  Sebas- 
tian both  came  running  in  and  nearly  tumbling  over  one  an- 
other; but  no  noise  was  sufficient  to  wake  Heidi,  and  it  was 
with  difficulty  they  could  rouse  her  sufficiently  to  get  her  along 
to  her  bedroom,  to  reach  which  she  had  to  pass  first  through 
the  study,  then  through  Clara 's  bedroom,  then  through  Frau- 
lein Rottenmeier 's  sitting  room,  till  she  came  to  the  corner  room 
that  had  been  set  apart  for  her. 


[110] 


CHAPTER  VII 

FRlULEIN  ROTTENMEIER  SPENDS  AN 
UNCOMFORTABLE  DAY 

WHEN  Heidi  opened  her  eyes  on  her  first  morning 
in  Frankfurt  she  could  not  think  where  she  was. 
Then  she  rubbed  them  and  looked  about  her. 
She  was  sitting  up  in  a  high  white  bed,  on  one  side  of  a  large, 
wide  room,  into  which  the  light  was  falling  through  very,  very 
long  white  curtains;  near  the  window  stood  two  chairs  covered 
with  large  flowers,  and  then  came  a  sofa  with  the  same  flowers, 
in  front  of  which  was  a  round  table;  in  the  corner  was  a  wash- 
stand,  with  things  upon  it  that  Heidi  had  never  seen  in  her  life 
before.  But  now  all  at  once  she  remembered  that  she  was  in 
Frankfurt;  everything  that  had  happened  the  day  before  came 
back  to  her,  and  finally  she  recalled  clearly  the  instructions  that 
had  been  given  her  by  the  lady-housekeeper,  as  far  as  she  had 
heard  them.  Heidi  jumped  out  of  bed  and  dressed  herself; 
then  she  ran  first  to  one  window  and  then  another;  she  wanted 
to  see  the  sky  and  country  outside;  she  felt  like  a  bird  in  a  cage 
behind  those  great  curtains.  But  they  were  too  heavy  for 
her  to  put  aside,  so  she  crept  underneath  them  to  get  to  the 
windows.  But  these  again  were  so  high  that  she  could  only 
just  get  her  head  above  the  sill  to  peer  out.  Even  then 
she  could  not  see  what  she  longed  for.  In  vain  she  went 
first  to  one  and  then  the  other  of  the  windows — she  could 
see  nothing  but  walls  and  windows  and  again  walls  and  win- 
dows. Heidi  felt  quite  frightened.     It  was  still  early,  for  Heidi 

[113] 


HEIDI 

was  accustomed  to  get  up  early  and  run  out  at  once  to  see  how 
everything  was  looking,  if  the  sky  was  blue  and  if  the  sun  was 
already  above  the  mountains,  or  if  the  fir  trees  were  waving  and 
the  flowers  had  opened  their  eyes.  As  a  bird,  when  it  first  finds 
itself  in  its  bright  new  cage,  darts  hither  and  thither,  trying 
the  bars  in  turn  to  see  if  it  cannot  get  through  them  and  fly 
again  into  the  open,  so  Heidi  continued  to  run  backwards  and 
forwards,  trying  to  open  first  one  and  then  the  other  of  the 
windows,  for  she  felt  she  could  not  bear  to  see  nothing  but  walls 
and  windows,  and  somewhere  outside  there  must  be  the  green 
grass,  and  the  last  unmelted  snows  on  the  mountain  slopes, 
which  Heidi  so  longed  to  see.  But  the  windows  remained  im- 
movable, try  what  Heidi  would  to  open  them,  even  endeavor- 
ing to  push  her  little  fingers  under  them  to  lift  them  up ;  but  it 
was  all  no  use.  When  after  a  while  Heidi  saw  that  her  efforts 
were  fruitless,  she  gave  up  trying,  and  began  to  think  whether 
she  would  not  go  out  and  round  the  house  till  she  came  to  the 
grass,  but  then  she  remembered  that  the  night  before  she  had 
only  seen  stones  in  front  of  the  house.  At  that  moment  a  knock 
came  to  the  door,  and  immediately  after  Tinette  put  her  head 
inside  and  said,  "Breakfast  is  ready. "  Heidi  had  no  idea  what 
an  invitation  so  worded  meant,  and  Tinette 's  face  did  not  en- 
courage any  questioning  on  Heidi 's  part,  but  rather  the  reverse. 
Heidi  was  sharp  enough  to  read  its  expression,  and  acted  ac- 
cordingly. So  she  drew  the  little  stool  out  from  under  the  table, 
put  it  in  the  corner  and  sat  down  upon  it,  and  there  silently 
awaited  what  would  happen  next.  Shortly  after,  with  a  good 
deal  of  rustling  and  bustling,  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  appeared, 
who  again  seemed  very  much  put  out  and  called  to  Heidi, 

[114] 


FRAULEIN  rottenmeier 

"What  is  the  matter  with  you,  Adelaide?  Don't  you  under- 
stand what  breakfast  is?   Come  along  at  once!" 

Heidi  had  no  difficulty  in  understanding  now  and  followed 
at  once.  Clara  had  been  some  time  at  the  breakfast  table  and 
she  gave  Heidi  a  kindly  greeting,  her  face  looking  considerably 
more  cheerful  than  usual,  for  she  looked  forward  to  all  kinds 
of  new  things  happening  again  that  day.  Breakfast  passed  off 
quietly;  Heidi  ate  her  bread  and  butter  in  a  perfectly  correct 
manner,  and  when  the  meal  was  over  and  Clara  wheeled  back 
into  the  study,  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  told  her  to  follow  and  re- 
main with  Clara  until  the  tutor  should  arrive  and  lessons 
begin. 

As  soon  as  the  children  were  alone  again,  Heidi  asked, 
"How  can  one  see  out  from  here,  and  look  right  down  on  to  the 
ground?" 

"You  must  open  the  window  and  look  out,"  replied  Clara 
amused. 

"But  the  windows  won't  open,"  responded  Heidi  sadly. 

"Yes,  they  will,"  Clara  assured  her.  "You  cannot  open 
them,  nor  I  either,  but  when  you  see  Sebastian  you  can  ask 
him  to  open  one." 

It  was  a  great  relief  to  Heidi  to  know  that  the  windows  could 
be  opened  and  that  one  could  look  out,  for  she  still  felt  as  if  she 
was  shut  up  in  prison.  Clara  now  began  to  ask  her  questions 
about  her  home,  and  Heidi  was  delighted  to  tell  her  all  about 
the  mountain  and  the  goats,  and  the  flowery  meadows  which 
were  so  dear  to  her. 

Meanwhile  her  tutor  had  arrived;  Fraulein  Rottenmeier, 
however,  did  not  bring  him  straight  into  the  study  but  drew 

[  115  ] 


HEIDI 

him  first  aside  into  the  dining-room,  where  she  poured  forth 
her  troubles  and  explained  to  him  the  awkward  position  in 
which  she  was  placed,  and  how  it  had  all  come  about.  It  ap- 
peared that  she  had  written  some  time  back  to  Herr  Sesemann 
to  tell  him  that  his  daughter  very  much  wished  to  have  a 
companion,  and  had  added  how  desirable  she  thought  it  her- 
self, as  it  would  be  a  spur  to  Clara  at  her  lessons  and  an  amuse- 
ment for  her  in  her  playtime.  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  had 
privately  wished  for  this  arrangement  on  her  own  behalf,  as  it 
would  relieve  her  from  having  always  to  entertain  the  sick  girl 
herself,  which  she  felt  at  times  was  too  much  for  her.  The 
father  had  answered  that  he  was  quite  willing  to  let  his  daughter 
have  a  companion,  provided  she  was  treated  in  every  way  like 
his  own  child,  as  he  would  not  have  any  child  tormented  or 
put  upon — "which  was  a  very  unnecessary  remark,"  put  in 
Fraulein  Rottenmeier,  "for  who  wants  to  torment  children!" 
But  now  she  went  on  to  explain  how  dreadfully  she  had  been 
taken  in  about  the  child,  and  related  all  the  unimaginable 
things  of  which  she  had  already  been  guilty,  so  that  not  only 
would  he  have  to  begin  with  teaching  her  the  ABC,  but  would 
have  to  start  with  the  most  rudimentary  instruction  as  regarded 
everything  to  do  with  daily  life.  She  could  see  only  one  way 
out  of  this  disastrous  state  of  affairs,  and  that  was  for  the  tutor 
to  declare  that  it  was  impossible  for  the  two  to  learn  together 
without  detriment  to  Clara,  who  was  so  far  ahead  of  the  other; 
that  would  be  a  valid  excuse  for  getting  rid  of  the  child,  and 
Herr  Sesemann  would  be  sure  to  agree  to  the  child  being  sent 
home  again,  but  she  dared  not  do  this  without  his  order,  since 
he  was  awax*e  that  by  this  time  the  companion  had  arrived. 

[116] 


FRAULEIN  ROTTENMEIER 

But  the  tutor  was  a  cautious  man  and  not  inclined  to  take  a 
partial  view  of  matters.  He  tried  to  calm  Fraulein  Rotten- 
meier,  and  gave  it  as  his  opinion  that  if  the  little  girl  was  back- 
ward in  some  things  she  was  probably  advanced  in  others,  and 
a  little  regular  teaching  would  soon  set  the  balance  right. 
When  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  saw  that  he  was  not  ready  to  sup- 
port her,  and  evidently  quite  ready  to  undertake  teaching  the 
alphabet,  she  opened  the  study  door,  which  she  quickly  shut 
again  as  soon  as  he  had  gone  through,  remaining  on  the  other 
side  herself,  for  she  had  a  perfect  horror  of  the  ABC.  She 
walked  up  and  down  the  dining-room,  thinking  over  in  her 
own  mind  how  the  servants  were  to  be  told  to  address  Adelaide. 
The  father  had  written  that  she  was  to  be  treated  exactly  like 
his  own  daughter,  and  this  would  especially  refer,  she  imagined, 
to  the  servants.  She  was  not  allowed,  however,  a  very  long 
interval  of  time  for  consideration,  for  suddenly  the  sound  of  a 
frightful  crash  was  heard  in  the  study,  followed  by  frantic  cries 
for  Sebastian.  She  rushed  into  the  room.  There  on  the  floor 
lay  in  a  confused  heap  books,  exercise-books,  inkstand,  and 
other  articles  with  the  table-cloth  on  the  top,  while  from  be- 
neath them  a  dark  stream  of  ink  was  flowing  all  across  the  floor. 
Heidi  had  disappeared. 

"Here's  a  state  of  things!"  exclaimed  Fraulein  Rottenmeier, 
wringing  her  hands.  "Table-cloth,  books,  work-basket,  every- 
thing lying  in  the  ink!  It  was  that  unfortunate  child,  I  sup- 
pose!" 

The  tutor  was  standing  looking  down  at  the  havoc  in  distress; 
there  was  certainly  only  one  view  to  be  taken  of  such  a  matter 
as  this  and  that  an  unfavorable  one.  Clara  meanwhile  appeared 

[  117  ] 


HEIDI 

to  find  pleasure  in  such  an  unusual  event  and  in  watching  the 
results.  "Yes,  Heidi  did  it,"  she  explained,  "but  quite  by  ac- 
cident; she  must  on  no  account  be  punished;  she  jumped  up  in 
such  violent  haste  to  get  away  that  she  dragged  the  table-cloth 
along  with  her,  and  so  everything  went  over.  There  were  a 
number  of  vehicles  passing,  that  is  why  she  rushed  off  like  that; 
perhaps  she  has  never  seen  a  carriage. " 

"Is  it  not  as  I  said?  She  has  not  the  smallest  notion  about 
anything!  not  the  slightest  idea  that  she  ought  to  sit  still  and 
listen  while  her  lessons  are  going  on.  But  where  is  the  child 
who  has  caused  all  this  trouble?  Surely  she  has  not  run  away! 
What  would  Herr  Sesemann  say  to  me?"  She  ran  out  of  the 
room  and  down  the  stairs.  There,  at  the  bottom,  standing  in 
the  open  doorway,  was  Heidi,  looking  in  amazement  up  and 
down  the  street. 

"What  are  you  doing?  What  are  you  thinking  of  to  run 
away  like  that?"  called  Fraulein  Rottenmeier. 

"I  heard  the  sound  of  the  fir  trees,  but  I  cannot  see  where 
they  are,  and  now  I  cannot  hear  them  any  more,"  answered 
Heidi,  looking  disappointedly  in  the  direction  whence  the 
noise  of  the  passing  carriages  had  reached  her,  and  which  to 
Heidi  had  seemed  like  the  blowing  of  the  south  wind  in  the 
trees,  so  that  in  great  joy  of  heart  she  had  rushed  out  to  look  at 
them. 

"Fir  trees!  do  you  suppose  we  are  in  a  wood?  What  ridicu- 
lous ideas  are  these?  Come  upstairs  and  see  the  mischief  you 
have  done!" 

Heidi  turned  and  followed  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  upstairs; 
she  was  quite  astonished  to  see  the  disaster  she  had  caused,  for 

[118] 


FRAULEIN  rottenmeier 

in  her  joy  and  haste  to  get  to  the  fir  trees  she  had  been  unaware 
of  having  dragged  everything  after  her. 

"  I  excuse  you  doing  this  as  it  is  the  first  time,  but  do  not  let 
me  know  of  you  doing  it  a  second  time,"  said  Fraulein  Rot- 
tenmeier, pointing  to  the  floor.  "During  your  lesson  time  you 
are  to  sit  still  and  attend.  If  you  cannot  do  this  I  shall  have  to 
tie  you  to  your  chair.  Do  you  understand?  " 

"Yes,"  replied  Heidi,  "but  I  will  certainly  not  move  again," 
for  now  she  understood  that  it  was  a  rule  to  sit  still  while  she 
was  being  taught. 

Sebastian  and  Tinette  were  now  sent  for  to  clear  up  the 
broken  articles  and  put  things  in  order  again;  the  tutor  said 
good-morning  and  left,  as  it  was  impossible  to  do  any  more 
lessons  that  day;  there  had  been  certainly  no  time  for  gaping 
this  morning. 

Clara  had  to  rest  for  a  certain  time  during  the  afternoon,  and 
during  this  interval,  as  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  informed  Heidi, 
the  latter  might  amuse  herself  as  she  liked.  When  Clara  had 
been  placed  on  her  couch  after  dinner,  and  the  lady-house- 
keeper had  retired  to  her  room,  Heidi  knew  that  her  time  had 
come  to  choose  her  own  occupation.  It  was  just  what  she  was 
longing  for,  as  there  was  something  she  had  made  up  her  mind 
to  do;  but  she  would  require  some  help  for  its  accomplish- 
ment, and  in  view  of  this  she  took  her  stand  in  the  hall  in 
front  of  the  dining-room  door  in  order  to  intercept  the  person 
she  wanted.  In  a  few  minutes  up  came  Sebastian  from  the 
kitchen  with  a  tray  of  silver  tea-things,  which  he  had  to  put 
away  in  the  dining-room  cupboard.  As  he  reached  the  top 
stairs  Heidi  went  up  to  him  and  addressed  him  in  the  for- 

[119] 


HEIDI 

mal  manner  she  had  been  ordered  to  use  by  Fraulein  Rotten- 
meier. 

Sebastian  looked  surprised  and  said  somewhat  curtly, 
"  What  is  it  you  want,  miss?  " 

"I  only  wished  to  ask  you  something,  but  it  is  nothing  bad 
like  this  morning,"  said  Heidi,  anxious  to  conciliate  him,  for 
she  saw  that  Sebastian  was  rather  in  a  cross  temper,  and  quite 
thought  that  it  was  on  account  of  the  ink  she  had  spilt  on  the 
floor. 

"Indeed,  and  why,  I  should  first  like  to  know,  do  you  ad- 
dress me  like  that?"  replied  Sebastian,  evidently  still  put  out. 

"Fraulein  Rottenmeier  told  me  always  to  speak  to  you  like 
that,"  said  Heidi. 

Then  Sebastian  laughed,  which  very  much  astonished  Heidi, 
who  had  seen  nothing  amusing  in  the  conversation,  but  Se- 
bastian, now  he  understood  that  -the  child  was  only  obeying 
orders,  added  in  a  friendly  voice,  "What  is  it  then  that  miss 
wants?" 

It  was  now  Heidi's  turn  to  be  a  little  put  out,  and  she  said, 
"  My  name  is  not  miss,  it  is  Heidi." 

"Quite  so,  but  the  same  lady  has  ordered  me  to  call  you 
miss,"  explained  Sebastian. 

"Has  she?  Oh,  then  I  must  be  called  so,"  said  Heidi  sub- 
missively, for  she  had  already  noticed  that  whatever  Fraulein 
Rottenmeier  said  was  law.  "Then  now  I  have  three  names," 
she  added  with  a  sigh. 

"What  was  it  little  miss  wished  to  ask?"  said  Sebastian  as 
he  went  on  into  the  dining-room  to  put  away  his  silver. 

"  How  can  a  window  be  opened? " 

[  120  ] 


FRAULEIN  rottenmeier 

"Why,  like  that!"  and  Sebastian  flung  up  one  of  the  large 
windows. 

Heidi  ran  to  it,  but  she  was  not  tall  enough  to  see  out,  for 
her  head  only  reached  the  sill. 

"There,  now  miss  can  look  out  and  see  what  is  going  on 
below,"  said  Sebastian  as  he  brought  her  a  high  wooden  stool 
to  stand  on. 

Heidi  climbed  up,  and  at  last,  as  she  thought,  was  going  to 
see  what  she  had  been  longing  for.  But  she  drew  back  her  head 
with  a  look  of  great  disappointment  on  her  face. 

"Why,  there  is  nothing  outside  but  the  stony  streets,"  she 
said  mournfully;  "  but  if  I  went  right  round  to  the  other  side  of 
the  house  what  should  I  see  there,  Sebastian?" 

"  Nothing  but  what  you  see  here,"  he  told  her. 

"Then  where  can  I  go  to  see  right  away  over  the  whole 
valley?" 

"You  would  have  to  climb  to  the  top  of  a  high  tower,  a 
church  tower,  like  that  one  over  there  with  the  gold  ball  above 
it.  From  there  you  can  see  right  away  ever  so  far." 

Heidi  climbed  down  quickly  from  her  stool,  ran  to  the  door, 
down  the  steps  and  out  into  the  street.  Things  were  not,  how- 
ever, quite  so  easy  as  she  thought.  Looking  from  the  window 
the  tower  had  appeared  so  close  that  she  imagined  she  had 
only  to  run  over  the  road  to  reach  it.  But  now,  although  she 
ran  along  the  whole  length  of  the  street,  she  still  did  not  get  any 
nearer  to  it,  and  indeed  soon  lost  sight  of  it  altogether;  she 
turned  down  another  street,  and  went  on  and  on,  but  still  no 
tower.  She  passed  a  great  many  people,  but  they  all  seemed 
in  such  a  hurry  that  Heidi  thought  they  had  not  time  to  tell 

[  121  ] 


HEIDI 

her  which  way  to  go.  Then  suddenly  at  one  of  the  street  cor- 
ners she  saw  a  boy  standing,  carrying  a  hand-organ  on  his 
back  and  a  funny-looking  animal  on  his  arm.  Heidi  ran  up  to 
him  and  said,  "Where  is  the  tower  with  the  gold  ball  on  the 
top?" 

"  I  don't  know,"  was  the  answer. 

"  Who  can  I  ask  to  show  me?  "  she  asked  again. 

"I  don't  know." 

"Do  you  know  any  other  church  with  a  high  tower?" 

"  Yes,  I  know  one." 

"  Come  then  and  show  it  me." 

"Show  me  first  what  you  will  give  me  for  it,"  and  the  boy 
held  out  his  hand  as  he  spoke.  Heidi  searched  about  in  her 
pockets  and  presently  drew  out  a  card  on  which  was  painted  a 
garland  of  beautiful  red  roses ;  she  looked  at  it  first  for  a  mo- 
ment or  two,  for  she  felt  rather  sorry  to  part  with  it ;  Clara  had 
only  that  morning  made  her  a  present  of  it — but  then,  to  look 
down  into  the  valley  and  see  all  the  lovely  green  slopes! 
"There,"  said  Heidi,  holding  out  the  card,  "would  you  like  to 
have  that?" 

The  boy  drew  back  his  hand  and  shook  his  head. 

"What  would  you  like  then?"  asked  Heidi,  not  sorry  to  put 
the  card  back  in  her  pocket. 

"Money." 

"I  have  none,  but  Clara  has;  I  am  sure  she  will  give  me 
some;  how  much  do  you  want?" 

"Twopence." 

"  Come  along  then." 

They  started  off  together  along  the  street,  and  on  the  way 

[  122] 


FRAULEIN  rottenmeier 

Heidi  asked  her  companion  what  he  was  carrying  on  his  back; 
it  was  a  hand-organ,  he  told  her,  which  played  beautiful  music 
when  he  turned  the  handle.  All  at  once  they  found  themselves 
in  front  of  an  old  church  with  a  high  tower;  the  boy  stood  still, 
and  said,  "There  it  is." 

"  But  how  shall  I  get  inside?  "  asked  Heidi,  looking  at  the 
fast  closed  doors. 

"I  don't  know,"  was  the  answer. 

"Do  you  think  that  I  can  ring  as  they  do  for  Sebastian?" 

"I  don't  know." 

Heidi  had  by  this  time  caught  sight  of  a  bell  in  the  wall 
which  she  now  pulled  with  all  her  might.  "If  I  go  up  you 
must  stay  down  here,  for  I  do  not  know  the  way  back,  and  you 
will  have  to  show  me." 

"What  will  you  give  me  then  for  that?  " 

"  What  do  you  want  me  to  give  you?  " 

"Another  twopence." 

They  heard  the  key  turning  inside,  and  then  some  one  pulled 
open  the  heavy  creaking  door;  an  old  man  came  out  and  at 
first  looked  with  surprise  and  then  in  anger  at  the  children,  as 
he  began  scolding  them:  "What  do  you  mean  by  ringing  me 
down  like  this?  Can't  you  read  what  is  written  over  the  bell, 
'For  those  who  wish  to  go  up  the  tower'? " 

The  boy  said  nothing  but  pointed  his  finger  at  Heidi.  The 
latter  answered,  "But  I  do  want  to  go  up  the  tower." 

"What  do  you  want  up  there?"  said  the  old  man.  "Has 
somebody  sent  you?" 

"No,"  replied  Heidi,  "I  only  wanted  to  go  up  that  I  might 
look  down." 

[  123] 


HEIDI 

"Get  along  home  with  you  and  don't  try  this  trick  on  me 
again,  or  you  may  not  come  off  so  easily  a  second  time,"  and 
with  that  he  turned  and  was  about  to  shut  the  door.  But 
Heidi  took  hold  of  his  coat  and  said  beseechingly,  "Let  me  go 
up,  just  once." 

He  looked  around,  and  his  mood  changed  as  he  saw  her 
pleading  eyes;  he  took  hold  of  her  hand  and  said  kindly,  "Well, 
if  you  really  wish  it  so  much,  I  will  take  you." 

The  boy  sat  down  on  the  church  steps  to  show  that  he  was 
content  to  wait  where  he  was. 

Hand  in  hand  with  the  old  man  Heidi  went  up  the  many 
steps  of  the  tower;  they  became  smaller  and  smaller  as  they 
neared  the  top,  and  at  last  came  one  very  narrow  one,  and 
there  they  were  at  the  end  of  their  climb.  The  old  man  lifted 
Heidi  up  that  she  might  look  out  of  the  open  window. 

"There,  now  you  can  look  down,"  he  said. 

Heidi  saw  beneath  her  a  sea  of  roofs,  towers,  and  chimney- 
pots; she  quickly  drew  back  her  head  and  said  in  a  sad,  dis- 
appointed voice,  "It  is  not  at  all  what  I  thought." 

"You  see  now,  a  child  like  you  does  not  understand  any- 
thing about  a  view!  Come  along  down  and  don't  go  ringing  at 
my  bell  again!" 

He  lifted  her  down  and  went  on  before  her  down  the  narrow 
stairway.  To  the  left  of  the  turn  where  it  grew  wider  stood  the 
door  of  the  tower-keeper's  room,  and  the  landing  ran  out 
beside  it  to  the  edge  of  the  steep,  slanting  roof.  At  the  far  end 
of  this  was  a  large  basket,  in  front  of  which  sat  a  big  gray  cat, 
that  snarled  as  it  saw  them,  for  she  wished  to  warn  the  passers- 
by  that  they  were  not  to  meddle  with  her  family.   Heidi  stood 

[124  ] 


FRlULEIN  ROTTENMEIER 

still  and  looked  at  her  in  astonishment,  for  she  had  never  seen 
such  a  monster  cat  before;  there  were  whole  armies  of  mice, 
however,  in  the  old  tower,  so  the  cat  had  no  difficulty  in  catch- 
ing half  a  dozen  for  her  dinner  every  day.  The  old  man,  seeing 
Heidi  so  struck  with  admiration,  said,  "She  will  not  hurt  you 
while  I  am  near;  come,  you  can  have  a  peep  at  the  kittens." 

Heidi  went  up  to  the  basket  and  broke  out  into  expressions 
of  delight. 

"Oh,  the  sweet  little  things!  the  darling  kittens,"  she  kept 
on  saying,  as  she  jumped  from  side  to  side  of  the  basket  so  as 
not  to  lose  any  of  the  droll  gambols  of  the  seven  or  eight  little 
kittens  that  were  scrambling  and  rolling  and  falling  over  one 
another. 

"Would  you  like  to  have  one?"  said  the  old  man,  who 
enjoyed  watching  the  child's  pleasure. 

"For  myself  to  keep?"  said  Heidi  excitedly,  who  could 
hardly  believe  such  happiness  was  to  be  hers. 

"Yes,  of  course,  more  than  one  if  you  like — in  short,  you  can 
take  away  the  whole  lot  if  you  have  room  for  them,"  for  the 
old  man  was  only  too  glad  to  think  he  could  get  rid  of  his  kit- 
tens without  more  trouble. 

Heidi  could  hardly  contain  herself  for  joy.  There  would  be 
plenty  of  room  for  them  in  the  large  house,  and  then  how  aston- 
ished and  delighted  Clara  would  be  when  she  saw  the  sweet 
little  kittens. 

"But  how  can  I  take  them  with  me?"  asked  Heidi,  and  was 
going  quickly  to  see  how  many  she  could  carry  away  in  her 
hands,  when  the  old  cat  sprang  at  her  so  fiercely  that  she 
shrank  back  in  fear. 

[125] 


HEIDI 

"I  will  take  them  for  you  if  you  will  tell  me  where,"  said  the 
old  man,  stroking  the  cat  to  quiet  her,  for  she  was  an  old  friend 
of  his  that  had  lived  with  him  in  the  tower  for  many  years. 

"To  Herr  Sesemann's,  the  big  kouse  where  there  is  a  gold 
dog's  head  on  the  door,  with  a  ring  in  its  mouth,"  explained 
Heidi. 

Such  full  directions  as  these  were  not  really  needed  by  the 
old  man,  who  had  had  charge  of  the  tower  for  many  a  long 
year  and  knew  every  house  far  and  near,  and  moreover  Sebas- 
tian was  an  acquaintance  of  his. 

"I  know  the  house, "  he  said,  "but  when  shall  I  bring  them, 
and  who  shall  I  ask  for? — you  are  not  one  of  the  family,  I  am 
sure. 

"No,  but  Clara  will  be  so  delighted  when  I  take  her  the 
kittens. " 

The  old  man  wished  now  to  go  downstairs,  but  Heidi  did 
not  know  how  to  tear  herself  away  from  the  amusing  spectacle. 

"  If  I  could  just  take  one  or  two  away  with  me !  one  for  myself 
and  one  for  Clara,  may  I?" 

"Well,  wait  a  moment,"  said  the  man,  and  he  drew  the  cat 
cautiously  away  into  his  room,  and  leaving  her  by  a  bowl  of 
food  came  out  again  and  shut  the  door.  "Now  take  two  of 
them. " 

Heidi 's  eyes  shone  with  delight.  She  picked  up  a  white  kitten 
and  another  striped  white  and  yellow,  and  put  one  in  the  right, 
the  other  in  the  left  pocket.  Then  she  went  downstairs.  The 
boy  was  still  sitting  outside  on  the  steps,  and  as  the  old  man 
shut  the  door  of  the  church  behind  them,  she  said,  "Which  is 
our  way  to  Herr  Sesemann's  house?" 

[  126  ] 


FRAULEIN  rottenmeier 

"I  don't  know,"  was  the  answer. 

Heidi  began  a  description  of  the  front  door  and  the  steps  and 
the  windows,  but  the  boy  only  shook  his  head,  and  was  not  any 
the  wiser. 

"Well,  look  here,"  continued  Heidi,  "from  one  window  you 
can  see  a  very,  very  large  gray  house,  and  the  roof  runs  like 
this — "  and  Heidi  drew  a  zig-zag  line  in  the  air  with  her 
forefinger. 

With  this  the  boy  jumped  up,  he  was  evidently  in  the  habit 
of  guiding  himself  by  similar  landmarks.  He  ran  straight  off 
with  Heidi  after  him,  and  in  a  very  short  time  they  had  reached 
the  door  with  the  large  dog 's  head  for  the  knocker.  Heidi  rang 
the  bell.  Sebastian  opened  it  quickly,  and  when  he  saw  it  was 
Heidi,  "Make  haste!  make  haste,"  he  cried  in  a  hurried  voice. 

Heidi  sprang  hastily  in  and  Sebastian  shut  the  door  after  her, 
leaving  the  boy,  whom  he  had  not  noticed,  standing  in  wonder 
on  the  steps. 

"Make  haste,  little  miss,"  said  Sebastian  again;  "go  straight 
into  the  dining-room,  they  are  already  at  table;  Fraulein  Rot- 
tenmeier looks  like  a  loaded  cannon.  What  could  make  the 
little  miss  run  off  like  that?" 

Heidi  walked  into  the  room.  The  lady  housekeeper  did  not 
look  up,  Clara  did  not  speak;  there  was  an  uncomfortable 
silence.  Sebastian  pushed  her  chair  up  for  her,  and  when  she 
was  seated,  Fraulein  Rottenmeier,  with  a  severe  countenance, 
sternly  and  solemnly  addressed  her:  "I  will  speak  with  you 
afterwards,  Adelaide,  only  this  much  will  I  now  say,  that  you 
behaved  in  a  most  unmannerly  and  reprehensible  way  by  run- 
ning out  of  the  house  as  you  did,  without  asking  permission, 

[  127] 


HEIDI 

without  any  one  knowing  a  word  about  it;  and  then  to  go 
wandering  about  till  this  hour;  I  never  heard  of  such  behavior 
before. " 

"Miau!"  came  the  answer  back. 

This  was  too  much  for  the  lady's  temper;  with  raised  voice 
she  exclaimed,  "You  dare,  Adelaide,  after  your  bad  behavior, 
to  answer  me  as  if  it  were  a  joke?" 

"I  did  not—"  began  Heidi— "Miau!  miau!" 

Sebastian  almost  dropped  his  dish  and  rushed  out  of  the 
room. 

"That  will  do,"  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  tried  to  say,  but  her 
voice  was  almost  stifled  with  anger.  "Get  up  and  leave  the 
room. " 

Heidi  stood  up  frightened,  and  again  made  an  attempt  to  ex- 
plain.   "I  really  did  not — "   "Miau!  miau!  miau!" 

"But,  Heidi,"  now  put  in  Clara,  "when  you  see  that  it 
makes  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  angry,  why  do  you  keep  on  say- 
ing miau?" 

"It  isn't  I,  it's  the  kittens,"  Heidi  was  at  last  given  time  to 
say. 

"How!  what!  kittens!"  shrieked  Fraulein  Rottenmeier. 
"  Sebastian !  Tinette !  Find  the  horrid  little  things !  take  them 
away!"  And  she  rose  and  fled  into  the  study  and  locked  the 
door,  so  as  to  make  sure  that  she  was  safe  from  the  kittens, 
which  to  her  were  the  most  horrible  things  in  creation. 

Sebastian  was  obliged  to  wait  a  few  minutes  outside  the  door 
to  get  over  his  laughter  before  he  went  into  the  room  again. 
He  had,  while  serving  Heidi,  caught  sight  of  a  little  kitten's 
head  peeping  out  of  her  pocket,  and  guessing  the  scene  that 

[128  ] 


FRAULEIN  ROTTEN  MEIER 

would  follow,  had  been  so  overcome  with  amusement  at  the 
first  miaus  that  he  had  hardly  been  able  to  finish  handing  the 
dishes.  The  lady's  distressed  cries  for  help  had  ceased  before 
he  had  sufficiently  regained  his  composure  to  go  back  into  the 
dining-room.  It  was  all  peace  and  quietness  there  now;  Clara 
had  the  kittens  on  her  lap,  and  Heidi  was  kneeling  beside  her, 
both  laughing  and  playing  with  the  tiny,  graceful  little  animals. 

"Sebastian,"  exclaimed  Clara  as  he  came  in,  "you  must 
help  us;  you  must  find  a  bed  for  the  kittens  where  Fraulein 
Rottenmeier  will  not  spy  them  out,  for  she  is  so  afraid  of  them 
that  she  will  send  them  away  at  once;  but  we  want  to  keep 
them,  and  have  them  out  whenever  we  are  alone.  Where  can 
you  put  them?" 

"I  will  see  to  that,"  answered  Sebastian  willingly.  "I  will 
make  a  bed  in  a  basket  and  put  it  in  some  place  where  the  lady 
is  not  likely  to  go;  you  leave  it  to  me."  He  set  about  the 
work  at  once,  sniggling  to  himself  the  while,  for  he  guessed 
there  would  be  a  further  rumpus  about  this  some  day,  and  Se- 
bastian was  not  without  a  certain  pleasure  in  the  thought  of 
Fraulein  Rottenmeier  being  a  little  disturbed. 

Not  until  some  time  had  elapsed,  and  it  was  nearing  the 
hour  for  going  to  bed,  did  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  venture  to 
open  the  door  a  crack  and  call  through,  "Have  you  taken  those 
dreadful  little  animals  away,  Sebastian?" 

He  assured  her  twice  that  he  had  done  so;  he  had  been  hang- 
ing about  the  room  in  anticipation  of  this  question,  and  now 
quickly  and  quietly  caught  up  the  kittens  from  Clara 's  lap  and 
disappeared  with  them. 

The  castigatory  sermon  which  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  had 

[129] 


HEIDI 

held  in  reserve  for  Heidi  was  put  off  till  the  following  day,  as 
she  felt  too  exhausted  now  after  all  the  emotions  she  had  gone 
through  of  irritation,  anger,  and  fright,  of  which  Heidi  had  un- 
consciously been  the  cause.  She  retired  without  speaking, 
Clara  and  Heidi  following,  happy  in  their  minds  at  knowing 
that  the  kittens  were  lying  in  a  comfortable  bed. 


f  130  ] 


CHAPTER  VIII 

THERE  IS  GREAT  COMMOTION  IN  THE  LARGE 

HOUSE 

SEBASTIAN  had  just  shown  the  tutor  into  the  study  on 
the  following  morning  when  there  came  another  and 
very  loud  ring  at  the  bell,  which  Sebastian  ran  quickly 
to  answer.  "Only  Herr  Sesemann  rings  like  that,"  he  said  to 
himself;  "he  must  have  returned  home  unexpectedly."  he 
pulled  open  the  door,  and  there  in  front  of  him  he  saw  a  ragged 
little  boy  carrying  a  hand-organ  on  his  back. 

"What's  the  meaning  of  this?"  said  Sebastian  angrily. 
"  I  '11  teach  you  to  ring  bells  like  that !  What  do  you  want  here?  " 

"I  want  to  see  Clara,"  the  boy  answered. 

"You  dirty,  good-for-nothing  little  rascal,  can 't  you  be  polite 
enough  to  say  'Miss  Clara'?  What  do  you  want  with  her?" 
continued  Sebastian  roughly. 

"She  owes  me  fourpence,"  explained  the  boy. 

"  You  must  be  out  of  your  mind !  And  how  do  you  know  that 
any  young  lady  of  that  name  lives  here?" 

"  She  owes  me  twopence  for  showing  her  the  way  there,  and 
twopence  for  showing  her  the  way  back. " 

"See  what  a  pack  of  lies  you  are  telling!  The  young  lady 
never  goes  out,  cannot  even  walk;  be  off  and  get  back  to  where 
you  came  from,  before  I  have  to  help  you  along. " 

But  the  boy  was  not  to  be  frightened  away;  he  remained 
standing,  and  said  in  a  determined  voice,  "But  I  saw  her  in  the 

[133] 


HEIDI 

street,  and  can  describe  her  to  you;  she  has  short,  curly  black 
hair,  and  black  eyes,  and  wears  a  brown  dress,  and  does  not 
talk  quite  like  we  do. " 

"Oho!"  thought  Sebastian,  laughing  to  himself,  "the  little 
miss  has  evidently  been  up  to  more  mischief. "  Then,  drawing 
the  boy  inside  he  said  aloud,  "I  understand  now;  come  with  me 
and  wait  outside  the  door  till  I  tell  you  to  go  in.  Be  sure  you 
begin  playing  your  organ  the  instant  you  get  inside  the  room; 
the  lady  is  very  fond  of  music. " 

Sebastian  knocked  at  the  study  door,  and  a  voice  said, 
"Come  in." 

"There  is  a  boy  outside  who  says  he  must  speak  to  Miss 
Clara  herself, "  Sebastian  announced. 

Clara  was  delighted  at  such  an  extraordinary  and  unexpected 
message. 

"Let  him  come  in  at  once,"  replied  Clara;  "he  must  come 
in,  must  he  not,"  she  added,  turning  to  her  tutor,  "if  he  wishes 
so  particularly  to  see  me?" 

The  boy  was  already  inside  the  room,  and  according  to  Se- 
bastian's directions  immediately  began  to  play  his  organ. 
Fraulein  Rottenmeier,  wishing  to  escape  the  ABC,  had  re- 
tired with  her  work  to  the  dining-room.  All  at  once  she  stopped 
and  listened.  Did  those  sounds  come  up  from  the  street?  And 
yet  they  seemed  so  near!  But  how  could  there  be  an  organ 
playing  in  the  study?  And  yet — it  surely  was  so.  She  rushed  to 
the  other  end  of  the  long  dining-room  and  tore  open  the  door. 
She  could  hardly  believe  her  eyes.  There,  in  the  middle  of  the 
study,  stood  a  ragged  boy  turning  away  at  his  organ  in  the 
most  energetic  manner.    The  tutor  appeared  to  be  making 

[  134  ] 


GREAT  COMMOTION  IN  THE  LARGE  HOUSE 

efforts  to  speak,  but  his  voice  could  not  be  heard.   Both  chil- 
dren were  listening  delightedly  to  the  music. 

"Leave  off!  leave  off  at  once!"  screamed  Fraulein  Rotten- 
meier.  But  her  voice  was  drowned  by  the  music.  She  was 
making  a  dash  for  the  boy,  when  she  saw  something  on  the 
ground  crawling  towards  her  feet — a  dreadful  dark  object — a 
tortoise.  At  this  sight  she  jumped  higher  than  she  had  for 
many  long  years  before,  shrieking  with  all  her  might,  "Sebas- 
tian! Sebastian!" 

The  organ-player  suddenly  stopped,  for  this  time  her  voice 
had  risen  louder  than  the  music.  Sebastian  was  standing  out- 
side bent  double  with  laughter,  for  he  had  been  peeping  to  see 
what  was  going  on.  By  the  time  he  entered  the  room  Fraulein 
Rottenmeier  had  sunk  into  a  chair. 

"Take  them  all  out,  boy  and  animal!  Get  them  away  at 
once!"  she  commanded  him. 

Sebastian  pulled  the  boy  away,  the  latter  having  quickly 
caught  up  the  tortoise,  and  when  he  had  got  him  outside  he  put 
something  into  his  hand.  "There  is  the  fourpence  from  Miss 
Clara,  and  another  fourpence  for  the  music.  You  did  it  all 
quite  right!"  and  with  that  he  shut  the  front  door  upon  him. 

Quietness  reigned  again  in  the  study,  and  lessons  began  once 
more;  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  now  took  up  her  station  in  the 
study  in  order  by  her  presence  to  prevent  any  further  dreadful 
goings-on. 

But  soon  another  knock  came  to  the  door,  and  Sebastian 
again  stepped  in,  this  time  to  say  that  some  one  had  brought  a 
large  basket  with  orders  that  it  was  to  be  given  at  once  to  Miss 
Clara. 

[135] 


HEIDI 

"For  me?"  said  Clara  in  astonishment,  her  curiosity  very 
much  excited,  "  bring  it  in  at  once  that  I  may  see  what  it  is  like." 

Sebastian  carried  in  a  large  covered  basket  and  retired. 

"I  think  the  lessons  had  better  be  finished  first  before  the 
basket  is  unpacked,"  said  Fraulein  Rottenmeier. 

Clara  could  not  conceive  what  was  in  it,  and  cast  longing 
glances  towards  it.  In  the  middle  of  one  of  her  declensions  she 
suddenly  broke  off  and  said  to  the  tutor,  "Mayn't  I  just  give 
one  peep  inside  to  see  what  is  in  it  before  I  go  on?" 

"On  some  considerations  I  am  for  it,  on  others  against  it," 
he  began  in  answer;  "for  it,  on  the  ground  that  if  your  whole 
attention  is  directed  to  the  basket — "  but  the  speech  remained 
unfinished.  The  cover  of  the  basket  was  loose,  and  at  this 
moment  one,  two,  three,  and  then  two  more,  and  again  more 
kittens  came  suddenly  tumbling  on  to  the  floor  and  racing 
about  the  room  in  every  direction,  and  with  such  indescribable 
rapidity  that  it  seemed  as  if  the  whole  room  was  full  of  them. 
They  jumped  over  the  tutor's  boots,  bit  at  his  trousers,  climbed 
up  Fraulein  Rottenmeier 's  dress,  rolled  about  her  feet,  sprang 
up  on  to  Clara's  couch,  scratching,  scrambling,  and  mewing: 
it  was  a  sad  scene  of  confusion.  Clara,  meanwhile,  pleased  with 
their  gambols,  kept  on  exclaiming,  "  Oh,  the  dear  little  things ! 
how  pretty  they  are!  Look,  Heidi,  at  this  one;  look,  look,  at 
that  one  over  there!"  And  Heidi  in  her  delight  kept  running 
after  them  first  into  one  corner  and  then  into  the  other.  The 
tutor  stood  up  by  the  table  not  knowing  what  to  do,  lifting  first 
his  right  foot  and  then  his  left  to  get  it  away  from  the  scramb- 
ling, scratching  kittens.  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  was  unable  at 
first  to  speak  at  all,  so  overcome  was  she  with  horror,  and  she 

[  136  ] 


GREAT  COMMOTION  IN  THE  LARGE  HOUSE 

did  not  dare  rise  from  her  chair  for  fear  that  all  the  dreadful 
little  animals  should  jump  upon  her  at  once.  At  last  she  found 
voice  to  call  loudly, "Tinette!  Tinette!  Sebastian!  Sebastian!" 

They  came  in  answer  to  her  summons  and  gathered  up  the 
kittens;  by  degrees  they  got  them  all  inside  the  basket  again 
and  then  carried  them  off  to  put  with  the  other  two. 

To-day  again  there  had  been  no  opportunity  for  gaping. 
Late  that  evening,  when  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  had  somewhat 
recovered  from  the  excitement  of  the  morning,  she  sent  for  the 
two  servants,  and  examined  them  closely  concerning  the  events 
of  the  morning.  And  then  it  came  out  that  Heidi  was  at  the 
bottom  of  them,  everything  being  the  result  of  her  excursion  of 
the  day  before.  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  sat  pale  with  indigna- 
tion and  did  not  know  at  first  how  to  express  her  anger.  Then 
she  made  a  sign  to  Tinette  and  Sebastian  to  withdraw,  and 
turning  to  Heidi,  who  was  standing  by  Clara's  couch,  quite 
unable  to  understand  of  what  sin  she  had  been  guilty,  began 
in  a  severe  voice, — 

"Adelaide,  I  know  of  only  one  punishment  which  will  per- 
haps make  you  alive  to  your  ill  conduct,  for  you  are  an  utter 
little  barbarian,  but  we  will  see. if  we  cannot  tame  you  so  that 
you  shall  not  be  guilty  of  such  deeds  again,  by  putting  you  in 
a  dark  cellar  with  the  rats  and  black  beetles. " 

Heidi  listened  in  silence  and  surprise  to  her  sentence,  for  she 
had  never  seen  a  cellar  such  as  was  now  described;  the  place 
known  at  her  grandfather's  as  the  cellar,  where  the  fresh  made 
cheeses  and  the  new  milk  were  kept,  was  a  pleasant  and  invit- 
ing place;  neither  did  she  know  at  all  what  rats  and  black 
beetles  were  like. 

[137] 


HEIDI 

But  now  Clara  interrupted  in  great  distress.  "No,  no, 
Fraulein  Rottenmeier,  you  must  wait  till  papa  comes;  he  has 
written  to  say  that  he  will  soon  be  home,  and  then  I  will  tell 
him  everything,  and  he  will  say  what  is  to  be  done  with  Heidi. " 

Fraulein  Rottenmeier  could  not  do  anything  against  this 
superior  authority,  especially  as  the  father  was  really  expected 
very  shortly.  She  rose  and  said  with  some  displeasure,  "As  you 
will,  Clara,  but  I  too  shall  have  something  to  say  to  Herr  Sese- 
mann. "   And  with  that  she  left  the  room. 

Two  days  now  went  by  without  further  disturbance.  Frau- 
lein Rottenmeier,  however,  could  not. recover  her  equanimity; 
she  was  perpetually  reminded  by  Heidi 's  presence  of  the  decep- 
tion that  had  been  played  upon  her,  and  it  seemed  to  her  that 
ever  since  the  child  had  come  into  the  house  everything  had 
been  topsy-turvy,  and  she  could  not  bring  things  into  proper 
order  again.  Clara  had  grown  much  more  cheerful;  she  no 
longer  found  time  hang  heavy  during  the  lesson  hours,  for  Heidi 
was  continually  making  a  diversion  of  some  kind  or  other.  She 
jumbled  all  her  letters  up  together  and  seemed  quite  unable  to 
learn  them,  and  when  the  tutor  tried  to  draw  her  attention  to 
their  different  shapes,  and  to  help  her  by  showing  her  that  this 
was  like  a  little  horn,  or  that  like  a  bird 's  bill,  she  would  suddenly 
exclaim  in  a  joyful  voice,  "That  is  a  goat!"  "That  is  a  bird  of 
prey!"  For  the  tutor's  descriptions  suggested  all  kinds  of 
pictures  to  her  mind,  but  left  her  still  incapable  of  the  alphabet. 
In  the  later  afternoons  Heidi  always  sat  with  Clara,  and  then 
she  would  give  the  latter  many  and  long  descriptions  of  the 
mountain  and  of  her  life  upon  it,  and  the  burning  longing  to 
return  would  become  so  overpowering  that  she  always  finished 

[138] 


©DM?K 


So  Heidi  had  plenty  of  time  from  day  to  day  to  sit  and  picture  how 

everything  at  home  was  now  turning  green,  and  how  the  yellow 

flowers  were  shining  in  the  sun.     (Page  l39) 


GREAT  COMMOTION  IN  THE  LARGE  HOUSE 

with  the  words,  "Now  I  must  go  home!  to-morrow  I  must 
really  go!"  But  Clara  would  try  to  quiet  her,  and  tell  Heidi 
that  she  must  wait  till  her  father  returned,  and  then  they  would 
see  what  was  to  be  done.  And  if  Heidi  gave  in  each  time  and 
seemed  quickly  to  regain  her  good  spirits,  it  was  because  of  a 
secret  delight  she  had  in  the  thought  that  every  day  added 
two  more  white  rolls  to  the  number  she  was  collecting  for 
grandmother;  for  she  always  pocketed  the  roll  placed  beside 
her  plate  at  dinner  and  supper,  feeling  that  she  could  not 
bear  to  eat  them,  knowing  that  grandmother  had  no  white 
bread  and  could  hardly  eat  the  black  bread,  which  was  so  hard. 
After  dinner  Heidi  had  to  sit  alone  in  her  room  for  a  couple  of 
hours,  for  she  understood  now  that  she  might  not  run  about 
outside  at  Frankfurt  as  she  did  on  the  mountain,  and  so  she 
did  not  attempt  it.  Any  conversation  with  Sebastian  in  the 
dining-room  was  also  forbidden  her,  and  as  to  Tinette,  she  kept 
out  of  her  way,  and  never  thought  of  speaking  to  her,  for  Heidi 
was  quite  aware  that  the  maid  looked  scornfully  at  her  and  al- 
ways spoke  to  her  in  a  mocking  voice.  So  Heidi  had  plenty  of 
time  from  day  to  day  to  sit  and  picture  how  everything  at 
home  was  now  turning  green,  and  how  the  yellow  flowers  were 
shining  in  the  sun,  and  how  all  around  lay  bright  in  the  warm 
sunshine,  the  snow  and  the  rocks,  and  the  whole  wide  valley, 
and  Heidi  at  times  could  hardly  contain  herself  for  the  longing 
to  be  back  home  again.  And  Dete  had  told  her  that  she  could 
go  home  whenever  she  liked.  So  it  came  about  one  day  that 
Heidi  felt  she  could  not  bear  it  any  longer,  and  in  haste  she 
tied  all  the  rolls  up  in  her  red  shawl,  put  on  her  straw  hat,  and 
went  downstairs.  But  just  as  she  reached  the  hall-door  she  met 

[  139  ] 


HEIDI 

Fraulein  Rottenmeier  herself,  just  returning  from  a  walk, 
which  put  a  stop  to  Heidi's  journey. 

Fraulein  Rottenmeier  stood  still  a  moment,  looking  at  her 
from  top  to  toe  in  blank  astonishment,  her  eye  resting  particu- 
larly on  the  red  bundle.   Then  she  broke  out, — 

"What  have  you  dressed  yourself  like  that  for?  What  do 
you  mean  by  this?  Have  I  not  strictly  forbidden  you  to  go 
running  about  in  the  streets?  And  here  you  are  ready  to  start 
off  again,  and  going  out  looking  like  a  beggar. " 

"I  was  not  going  to  run  about,  I  was  going  home,"  said 
Heidi,  frightened. 

"What  are  you  talking  about!  Going  home!  You  want  to 
go  home?"  exclaimed  Fraulein  Rottenmeier,  her  anger  rising. 
"To  run  away  like  that!  What  would  Herr  Sesemann  say  if  he 
knew !  Take  care  that  he  never  hears  of  this !  And  what  is  the 
matter  with  his  house,  I  should  like  to  know!  Have  you  not 
been  better  treated  than  you  deserved?  Have  you  wanted  for 
a  thing?  Have  you  ever  in  your  life  before  had  such  a  house  to 
live  in,  such  a  table,  or  so  many  to  wait  upon  you?  Have  you?" 

"No,"  replied  Heidi. 

"I  should  think  not  indeed!"  continued  the  exasperated 
lady.  "You  have  everything  you  can  possibly  want  here,  and 
you  are  an  ungrateful  little  thing;  it's  because  you  are  too  well 
off  and  comfortable  that  you  have  nothing  to  do  but  think 
what  naughty  thing  you  can  do  next!" 

Then  Heidi's  feelings  got  the  better  of  her,  and  she  poured 
forth  her  trouble.  "Indeed  I  only  want  to  go  home,  for  if  I 
stay  so  long  away  Snowflake  will  begin  crying  again,  and 
grandmother  is  waiting  for  me,  and  Greenfinch  will  get  beaten, 

[  140] 


GREAT  COMMOTION  IN  THE  LARGE  HOUSE 

because  I  am  not  there  to  give  Peter  any  cheese,  and  I  can  never 
see  how  the  sun  says  good-night  to  the  mountains;  and  if  the 
great  bird  were  to  fly  over  Frankfurt  he  would  croak  louder 
than  ever  about  people  huddling  all  together  and  teaching  each 
other  bad  things,  and  not  going  to  live  up  on  the  rocks,  where 
it  is  so  much  better." 

"Heaven  have  mercy  on  us,  the  child  is  out  of  her  mind!" 
cried  Fraulein  Rottenmeier,  and  she  turned  in  terror  and  went 
quickly  up  the  steps,  running  violently  against  Sebastian  in 
her  hurry.  "Go  and  bring  that  unhappy  little  creature  in  at 
once,"  she  ordered  him,  putting  her  hand  to  her  forehead 
which  she  had  bumped  against  his. 

Sebastian  did  as  he  was  told,  rubbing  his  own  head  as  he 
went,  for  he  had  received  a  still  harder  blow. 

Heidi  had  not  moved;  she  stood  with  her  eyes  aflame  and 
trembling  all  over  with  inward  agitation. 

"What,  got  into  trouble  again?"  said  Sebastian  in  a  cheerful 
voice;  but  when  he  looked  more  closely  at  Heidi  and  saw  that 
she  did  not  move,  he  put  his  hand  kindly  on  her  shoulder,  and 
said,  trying  to  comfort  her,  "There,  there,  don't  take  it  to 
heart  so  much;  keep  up  your  spirits,  that  is  the  great  thing! 
She  has  nearly  made  a  hole  in  my  head,  but  don't  you  let  her 
bully  you."  Then  seeing  that  Heidi  still  did  not  stir,  "We 
must  go;  she  ordered  me  to  take  you  in." 

Heidi  now  began  mounting  the  stairs,  but  with  a  slow,  crawl- 
ing step,  very  unlike  her  usual  manner.  Sebastian  felt  quite 
sad  as  he  watched  her,  and  as  he  followed  her  up  he  kept  trying 
to  encourage  her.  "Don't  you  give  in!  don't  let  her  make  you 
unhappy !  You  keep  up  your  courage !  Why  we've  got  such  a 

[  141  ] 


HEIDI 

sensible  little  miss  that  she  has  never  cried  once  since  she  was 
here;  many  at  that  age  cry  a  good  dozen  times  a  day.  The 
kittens  are  enjoying  themselves  very  much  up  in  their  home; 
they  jump  about  all  over  the  place  and  behave  as  if  they  were 
little  mad  things.  Later  we  will  go  up  and  see  them,  when 
Fraulein  is  out  of  the  way,  shall  we?" 

Heidi  gave  a  little  nod  of  assent,  but  in  such  a  joyless  manner 
that  it  went  to  Sebastian's  heart,  and  he  followed  her  with 
sympathetic  eyes  as  she  crept  away  to  her  room. 

At  supper  that  evening  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  did  not  speak, 
but  she  cast  watchful  looks  towards  Heidi  as  if  expecting  her  at 
any  minute  to  break  out  in  some  extraordinary  way;  but  Heidi 
sat  without  moving  or  eating;  all  that  she  did  was  to  hastily 
hide  her  roll  in  her  pocket. 

When  the  tutor  arrived  next  morning,  Fraulein  Rottenmeier 
drew  him  privately  aside,  and  confided  her  fear  to  him  that  the 
change  of  air  and  the  new  mode  of  life  and  unaccustomed  sur- 
roundings had  turned  Heidi's  head;  then  she  told  him  of  the 
incident  of  the  day  before,  and  of  Heidi's  strange  speech.  But 
the  tutor  assured  her  she  need  not  be  in  alarm;  he  had  already 
become  aware  that  the  child  was  somewhat  eccentric,  but  other- 
wise quite  right  in  her  mind,  and  he  was  sure  that,  with  careful 
treatment  and  education,  the  right  balance  would  be  restored, 
and  it  was  this  he  was  striving  after.  He  was  the  more  con- 
vinced of  this  by  what  he  now  heard,  and  by  the  fact  that  he 
had  so  far  failed  to  teach  her  the  alphabet,  Heidi  seeming  un- 
able to  understand  the  letters. 

Fraulein  Rottenmeier  was  considerably  relieved  by  his 
words,  and  released  the  tutor  to  his  work.   In  the  course  of  the 

[142] 


GREAT  COMMOTION  IN  THE  LARGE  HOUSE 

afternoon  the  remembrance  of  Heidi's  appearance  the  day  be- 
fore, as  she  was  starting  out  on  her  travels,  suddenly  returned 
to  the  lady,  and  she  made  up  her  mind  that  she  would  supple- 
ment the  child's  clothing  with  various  garments  from  Clara's 
wardrobe,  so  as  to  give  her  a  decent  appearance  when  Herr 
Sesemann  returned.  She  confided  her  intention  to  Clara,  who 
was  quite  willing  to  have  her  make  over  any  number  of  dresses 
and  hats  for  Heidi;  so  the  lady  went  upstairs  to  overhaul  the 
child's  belongings  and  see  what  was  to  be  kept  and  what  thrown 
away.  She  returned,  however,  in  the  course  of  a  few  minutes 
with  an  expression  of  horror  upon  her  face. 

"What  is  this,  Adelaide,  that  I  find  in  your  wardrobe!"  she 
exclaimed.  "I  never  heard  of  any  one  doing  such  a  thing 
before!  In  a  cupboard  meant  for  clothes,  Adelaide,  what  do  I 
see  at  the  bottom  but  a  heap  of  rolls !  Will  you  believe  it,  Clara, 
bread  in  a  wardrobe!  a  whole  pile  of  bread!  Tinette,"  she  called 
to  that  young  woman,  who  was  in  the  dining-room,  "go  up- 
stairs and  take  away  all  those  rolls  out  of  Adelaide's  cupboard 
and  the  old  straw  hat  on  the  table." 

"No!  no!"  screamed  Heidi.  "I  must  keep  the  hat,  and  the 
rolls  are  for  grandmother,"  and  she  was  rushing  to  stop  Tin- 
ette when  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  took  hold  of  her.  "You  will 
stop  here,  and  all  that  bread  and  rubbish  shall  be  taken  to  the 
place  they  belong  to,"  she  said  in  a  determined  tone  as  she 
kept  her  hand  on  the  child  to  prevent  her  running  forward. 

Then  Heidi  in  despair  flung  herself  down  on  Clara's  couch 
and  broke  into  a  wild  fit  of  weeping,  her  crying  becoming 
louder  and  more  full  of  distress  every  minute,  while  she  kept 
on  sobbing  out  at  intervals,  "Now  grandmother's  bread  is  all 

[143] 


HEIDI 

gone!  They  were  all  for  grandmother,  and  now  they  are  taken 
away,  and  grandmother  won't  have  one,"  and  she  wept  as  if 
her  heart  would  break.  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  ran  out  of  the 
room.  Clara  was  distressed  and  alarmed  at  the  child's  crying. 
"Heidi,  Heidi,"  she  said  imploringly,  "pray  do  not  cry  so! 
listen  to  me;  don't  be  so  unhappy;  look  now,  I  promise  you  that 
you  shall  have  just  as  many  rolls,  or  more,  all  fresh  and  new  to 
take  to  grandmother  when  you  go  home;  yours  would  have  been 
hard  and  stale  by  then.    Come,  Heidi,  do  not  cry  any  more!" 

Heidi  could  not  get  over  her  sobs  for  a  long  time;  she  would 
never  have  been  able  to  leave  off  crying  at  all  if  it  had  not  been 
for  Clara's  promise,  which  comforted  her.  But  to  make  sure 
that  she  could  depend  upon  it  she  kept  on  saying  to  Clara,  her 
voice  broken  with  her  gradually  subsiding  sobs,  "Will  you 
give  me  as  many,  quite  as  many,  as  I  had  for  grandmother?" 
And  Clara  assured  her  each  time  that  she  would  give  her  as 
many,  "or  more,"  she  added,  "only  be  happy  again." 

Heidi  appeared  at  supper  with  her  eyes  red  with  weeping, 
and  when  she  saw  her  roll  she  could  not  suppress  a  sob.  But 
she  made  an  effort  to  control  herself,  for  she  knew  she  must  sit 
quietly  at  table.  Whenever  Sebastian  could  catch  her  eye  this 
evening  he  made  all  sorts  of  strange  signs,  pointing  to  his  own 
head  and  then  to  hers,  and  giving  little  nods  as  much  as  to  say, 
"Don't  you  be  unhappy!  I  have  got  it  all  safe  for  you." 

When  Heidi  was  going  to  get  into  bed  that  night  she  found 
her  old  straw  hat  lying  under  the  counterpane.  She  snatched 
it  up  with  delight,  made  it  more  out  of  shape  still  in  her  joy, 
and  then,  after  wrapping  a  handkerchief  round  it,  she  stuck  it 
in  a  corner  of  the  cupboard  as  far  back  as  she  could. 

[  144] 


GREAT  COMMOTION  IN  THE  LARGE  HOUSE 

It  was  Sebastian  who  had  hidden  it  there  for  her;  he  had  been 
in  the  dining-room  when  Tinette  was  called,  and  had  heard  all 
that  went  on  with  the  child  and  the  latter's  loud  weeping.  So 
he  followed  Tinette,  and  when  she  came  out  of  Heidi's  room 
carrying  the  rolls  and  the  hat,  he  caught  up  the  hat  and  said, 
"I  will  see  to  this  old  thing."  He  was  genuinely  glad  to  have 
been  able  to  save  it  for  Heidi,  and  that  was  the  meaning  of  his 
encouraging  signs  to  her  at  supper. 


[145] 


^^a^^Tii^s^^^.^imiiimsssssm^^s^ss^&^^^^fff 


CHAPTER  IX 

HERR  SESEMANN  HEARS  OF  THINGS  WHICH  ARE 

NEW  TO  HIM 

a   FEW  days  after  these  events  there  was  great  commo- 

/.%  tion  and  much  running  up  and  down  stairs  in  Herr 
-^-  -^"Sesemann's  house.  The  master  had  just  returned,  and 
Sebastian  and  Tinette  were  busy  carrying  up  one  package  after 
another  from  the  carriage,  for  Herr  Sesemann  always  brought 
back  a  lot  of  pretty  things  for  his  home.  He  himself  had  not 
waited  to  do  anything  before  going  in  to  see  his  daughter. 
Heidi  was  sitting  beside  her,  for  it  was  late  afternoon,  when 
the  two  were  always  together.  Father  and  daughter  greeted 
each  other  with  warm  affection,  for  they  were  deeply  attached 
to  one  another.  Then  he  held  out  his  hand  to  Heidi,  who  had 
stolen  away  into  the  corner,  and  said  kindly  to  her,  "  And  this 
is  our  little  Swiss  girl;  come  and  shake  hands  with  me!  That's 
right!  Now,  tell  me,  are  Clara  and  you  good  friends  with  one 
another,  or  do  you  get  angry  and  quarrel,  and  then  cry  and 
make  it  up,  and  then  start  quarreling  again  on  the  next  occa- 
sion?" 

"No,  Clara,  is  always  kind  to  me,"  answered  Heidi. 

"And  Heidi,"  put  in  Clara  quickly,  "has  not  once  tried  to 
quarrel." 

"That's  all  right,  I  am  glad  to  hear  it,"  said  her  father,  as 
he  rose  from  his  chair.  "But  you  must  excuse  me,  Clara,  for  I 
want  my  dinner;  I  have  had  nothing  to  eat  all  day.  Afterwards 
I  will  show  you  all  the  things  I  have  brought  home  with  me." 

[  149  ] 


HEIDI 

He  found  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  in  the  dining-room  superin- 
tending the  preparation  for  his  meal,  and  when  he  had  taken 
his  place  she  sat  down  opposite  to  him,  looking  the  very  em- 
bodiment of  bad  news,  so  that  he  turned  to  her  and  said,  "What 
am  I  to  expect,  Fraulein  Rottenmeier?  You  greet  me  with  an 
expression  of  countenance  that  quite  frightens  me.  What  is 
the  matter?   Clara  seems  cheerful  enough." 

"Herr  Sesemann,"  began  the  lady  in  a  solemn  voice,  "it  is 
a  matter  which  concerns  Clara;  we  have  been  frightfully  im- 
posed upon." 

"Indeed,  in  what  way?"  asked  Herr  Sesemann  as  he  went 
on  calmly  drinking  his  wine. 

"We  had  decided,  as  you  remember,  to  get  a  companion  for 
Clara,  and  as  I  knew  how  anxious  you  were  to  have  only  those 
who  were  well  behaved  and  nicely  brought  up  about  her,  I 
thought  I  would  look  for  a  little  Swiss  girl,  as  I  hoped  to  find 
such  a  one  as  I  have  often  read  about,  who,  born  as  it  were  of 
the  mountain  air,  lives  and  moves  without  touching  the  earth." 

"Still  I  think  even  a  Swiss  child  would  have  to  touch  the 
earth  if  she  wanted  to  go  anywhere,"  remarked  Herr  Sese- 
mann, "otherwise  they  would  have  been  given  wings  instead 
of  feet." 

"Ah,  Herr  Sesemann,  you  know  what  I  mean,"  continued 
Fraulein  Rottenmeier.  "I  mean  one  so  at  horns  among  the 
living  creatures  of  the  high,  pure  mountain  regions,  that  she 
would  be  like  some  idealistic  being  from  another  world  among 
us. 

"And  what  could  Clara  do  with  such  an  idealistic  being  as 
you  describe,  Fraulein  Rottenmeier?" 

[150] 


SESEMANN'S  RETURN 

"I  am  not  joking,  Herr  Sesemann,  the  matter  is  a  more 
serious  one  than  you  think;  I  have  been  shockingly,  disgrace- 
fully imposed  upon." 

"But  how?  what  is  there  shocking  and  disgraceful?  I  see  noth- 
ing shocking  in  the  child,"  remarked  Herr  Sesemann  quietly. 

"If  you  only  knew  of  one  thing  she  has  done,  if  you  only 
knew  of  the  kind  of  people  and  animals  she  has  brought  into 
the  house  during  your  absence!  The  tutor  can  tell  you  more 
about  that." 

"Animals?  what  am  I  to  understand  by  animals,  Fraulein 
Rottenmeier?" 

"It  is  past  understanding;  the  whole  behavior  of  the  child 
would  be  past  understanding  if  it  were  not  that  at  times  she  is 
evidently  not  in  her  right  mind." 

Herr  Sesemann  had  attached  very  little  importance  to  what 
was  told  him  up  till  now — but  not  in  her  right  mind !  that  was 
more  serious  and  might  be  prejudicial  to  his  own  child.  Herr 
Sesemann  looked  very  narrowly  at  the  lady  opposite  to  assure 
himself  that  the  mental  aberration  was  not  on  her  side.  At  that 
moment  the  door  opened  and  the  tutor  was  announced. 

"Ah!  here  is  some  one,"  exclaimed  Herr  Sesemann,  "who 
will  help  to  clear  up  matters  for  me.  Take  a  seat,"  he  con- 
tinued, as  he  held  out  his  hand  to  the  tutor.  "You  will  drink  a 
cup  of  coffee  with  me — no  ceremony,  I  pray !  And  now  tell  me, 
what  is  the  matter  with  this  child  that  has  come  to  be  a  com- 
panion to  my  daughter?  What  is  this  strange  thing  I  hear 
about  her  bringing  animals  into  the  house,  and  is  she  in  her 
right  senses?" 

The  tutor  felt  he  must  begin  with  expressing  his  pleasure  at 

[  151  ] 


HEIDI 

Herr  Sesemann's  return,  and  with  explaining  that  he  had  come 
in  on  purpose  to  give  him  welcome,  but  Herr  Sesemann  begged 
him  to  explain  without  delay  the  meaning  of  all  he  had  heard 
about  Heidi.  The  tutor  started  in  his  usual  style.  "If  I  must 
give  my  opinion  about  this  little  girl,  I  should  like  first  to  state 
that,  if  on  one  side,  there  is  a  lack  of  development  which  has 
been  caused  by  the  more  or  less  careless  way  in  which  she  has 
been  brought  up,  or  rather,  by  the  neglect  of  her  education 
when  young,  and  by  the  solitary  life  she  has  led  on  the  moun- 
tain, which  is  not  wholly  to  be  condemned;  on  the  contrary, 
such  a  life  has  undoubtedly  some  advantages  in  it,  if  not 
allowed  to  overstep  a  certain  limit  of  time — " 

"My  good  friend,"  interrupted  Herr  Sesemann,  "you  are 
giving  yourself  more  trouble  than  you  need.  I  only  want  to 
know  if  the  child  has  caused  you  alarm  by  any  animals  she  has 
brought  into  the  house,  and  what  your  opinion  is  altogether  as 
to  her  being  a  fit  companion  or  not  for  my  daughter?" 

"I  should  not  like  in  any  way  to  prejudice  you  against  her," 
began  the  tutor  once  more;  "for  if  on  the  one  hand  there  is  a 
certain  inexperience  of  the  ways  of  society,  owing  to  the  un- 
civilized life  she  led  up  to  the  time  of  her  removal  to  Frankfurt, 
on  the  other  hand  she  is  endowed  with  certain  good  qualities, 
and,  taken  on  the  whole — " 

"  Excuse  me,  my  dear  sir,  do  not  disturb  yourself,  but  I  must 
— I  think  my  daughter  will  be  wanting  me,"  and  with  that 
Herr  Sesemann  quickly  left  the  room  and  took  care  not  to 
return.  He  sat  himself  down  beside  his  daughter  in  the  study, 
and  then  turning  to  Heidi,  who  had  risen,  "Little  one,  will  you 
fetch  me,"  he  began,  and  then  paused,  for  he  could  not  think 

[  152] 


SESEMANN'S  RETURN 

what  to  ask  for,  but  he  wanted  to  get  the  child  out  of  the  room 
for  a  little  while,  "fetch  me — fetch  me  a  glass  of  water." 

"Fresh  water?"  asked  Heidi. 

"Yes — yes — as  fresh  as  you  can  get  it,"  he  answered. 
Heidi  disappeared  on  the  spot. 

"And  now,  my  dear  little  Clara,"  he  said,  drawing  his  chair 
nearer  and  laying  her  hand  in  his,  "answer  my  questions 
clearly  and  intelligibly:  what  kind  of  animals  has  your  little 
companion  brought  into  the  house,  and  why  does  Fraulein 
Rottenmeier  think  that  she  is  not  always  in  her  right  mind?" 

Clara  had  no  difficulty  in  answering.  The  alarmed  lady  had 
spoken  to  her  also  about  Heidi's  wild  manner  of  talking,  but  Clara 
had  not  been  able  to  put  a  meaning  to  it.  She  told  her  father 
everything  about  the  tortoise  and  the  kittens,  and  explained  to 
him  what  Heidi  had  said  the  day  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  had 
been  put  in  such  a  fright.  Herr  Sesemann  laughed  heartily  at 
her  recital.  "So  you  do  not  want  me  to  send  the  child  home 
again,"  he  asked,  "you  are  not  tired  of  having  her  here?  " 

"Oh,  no,  no,"  Clara  exclaimed,  "please  do  not  send  her 
away.  Time  has  passed  much  more  quickly  since  Heidi  was 
here,  for  something  fresh  happens  every  day,  and  it  used  to  be 
so  dull,  and  she  has  always  so  much  to  tell  me." 

"That's  all  right  then — and  here  comes  your  little  friend. 
Have  you  brought  me  some  nice  fresh  water?"  he  asked  as 
Heidi  handed  him  a  glass. 

"  Yes,  fresh  from  the  pump,"  answered  Heidi. 

"You  did  not  go  yourself  to  the  pump?  "  said  Clara. 

"Yes  I  did;  it  is  quite  fresh.  I  had  to  go  a  long  way,  for  there 
were  such  a  lot  of  people  at  the  first  pump;  so  I  went  further 

[  153  ] 


HEIDI 

down  the  street,  but  there  were  just  as  many  at  the  second 
pump,  but  I  was  able  to  get  some  water  at  the  one  in  the  next 
street,  and  the  gentleman  with  the  white  hair  asked  me  to  give 
his  kind  regards  to  Herr  Sesemann." 

"You  have  had  quite  a  successful  expedition,"  said  Herr 
Sesemann  laughing,  "and  who  was  the  gentleman?" 

"He  was  passing,  and  when  he  saw  me  he  stood  still  and 
said,  'As  you  have  a  glass  will  you  give  me  a  drink?  to  whom 
are  you  taking  the  water?'  and  when  I  said,  'To  Herr  Sese- 
mann, '  he  laughed  very  much,  and  then  he  gave  me  that  mes- 
sage for  you,  and  also  said  he  hoped  you  would  enjoy  the 
water." 

"Oh,  and  who  was  it,  I  wonder,  who  sent  me  such  good 
wishes — tell  me  what  he  was  like,"  said  Herr  Sesemann. 

"He  was  kind  and  laughed,  and  he  had  a  thick  gold  chain 
and  a  gold  thing  hanging  from  it  with  a  large  red  stone,  and  a 
horse's  head  at  the  top  of  his  stick." 

"It's  the  doctor — my  old  friend  the  doctor,"  exclaimed 
Clara  and  her  father  at  the  same  moment,  and  Herr  Sesemann 
smiled  to  himself  at  the  thought  of  what  his  friend's  opinion 
must  have  been  of  this  new  way  of  satisfying  his  thirst  for 
water. 

That  evening  when  Herr  Sesemann  and  Fraulein  Rotten- 
meier  were  alone,  settling  the  household  affairs,  he  informed 
her  that  he  intended  to  keep  Heidi ;  he  found  the  child  in  a  per- 
fectly right  state  of  mind,  and  his  daughter  liked  her  as  a  com- 
panion. "I  desire,  therefore,"  he  continued,  laying  stress  upon 
his  words,  "  that  the  child  shall  be  in  every  way  kindly  treated, 
and  that  her  peculiarities  shall  not  be  looked  upon  as  crimes. 

[  154  ] 


SESEMANN'S  RETURN 

If  you  find  her  too  much  for  you  alone,  I  can  hold  out  a  pros- 
pect of  help,  for  I  am  shortly  expecting  my  mother  here  on  a 
long  visit,  and  she,  as  you  know,  can  get  on  with  anybody, 
whatever  they  may  be  like." 

"Oh  yes,  I  know,"  replied  Fraulein  Rottenmeier,  but  there 
was  no  tone  of  relief  in  her  voice  as  she  thought  of  the  coming 
help. 

Herr  Sesemann  was  only  home  for  a  short  time;  he  left  for 
Paris  again  before  the  fortnight  was  over,  comforting  Clara, 
who  could  not  bear  that  he  should  go  from  her  again  so  soon, 
with  the  prospect  of  her  grandmother's  arrival,  which  was  to 
take  place  in  a  few  days'  time.  Herr  Sesemann  had  indeed  only 
just  gone  when  a  letter  came  from  Frau  Sesemann,  announcing 
her  arrival  on  the  following  day,  and  stating  the  hour  when  she 
might  be  expected,  in  order  that  a  carriage  should  be  sent  to 
meet  her  at  the  station.  Clara  was  overjoyed,  and  talked  so 
much  about  her  grandmother  that  evening,  that  Heidi  began 
also  to  call  her  "grandmamma,"  which  brought  down  on  her  a 
look  of  displeasure  from  Fraulein  Rottenmeier;  this,  however, 
had  no  particular  effect  on  Heidi,  for  she  was  accustomed  now 
to  being  continually  in  that  lady's  black  books.  But  as  she  was 
going  to  her  room  that  night,  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  waylaid 
her,  and  drawing  her  into  her  own,  gave  her  strict  injunctions 
as  to  how  she  was  to  address  Frau  Sesemann  when  she  arrived ; 
on  no  account  was  she  to  call  her  "grandmamma,"  but  always 
to  say  "madam "  to  her.  " Do  you  understand?  "  said  the  lady, 
as  she  saw  a  perplexed  expression  on  Heidi's  face.  The  latter 
had  not  understood,  but  seeing  the  severe  expression  of  the 
lady's  face  she  did  not  ask  for  more  explanation. 

[155] 


CHAPTER  X 
ANOTHER  GRANDMOTHER 

THERE  was  much  expectation  and  preparation  about  the 
house  on  the  following  evening,  and  it  was  easy  to  see 
that  the  lady  who  was  coming  was  one  whose  opinion 
was  highly  thought  of,  and  for  whom  everybody  had  a  great  re- 
spect. Tinette  had  a  new  white  cap  on  her  head,  and  Sebastian 
collected  all  the  footstools  he  could  find  and  placed  them  in  con- 
venient spots,  so  that  the  lady  might  find  one  ready  to  her  feet 
whenever  she  chose  to  sit.  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  went  about 
surveying  everything,  very  upright  and  dignified,  as  if  to  show 
that  though  a  rival  power  was  expected,  her  own  authority  was 
not  going  to  be  extinguished. 

And  now  the  carriage  came  driving  up  to  the  door,  and 
Tinette  and  Sebastian  ran  down  the  steps,  followed  with  a 
slower  and  more  stately  step  by  the  lady,  who  advanced  to 
greet  the  guest.  Heidi  had  been  sent  up  to  her  room  and  or- 
dered to  remain  there  until  called  down,  as  the  grandmother 
would  certainly  like  to  see  Clara  alone  first.  Heidi  sat  herself 
down  in  a  corner  and  repeated  her  instructions  over  to  herself. 
She  had  not  to  wait  long  before  Tinette  put  her  head  in  and 
said  abruptly,  "Go  downstairs  into  the  study." 

Heidi  had  not  dared  to  ask  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  again  how 
she  was  to  address  the  grandmother :  she  thought  the  lady  had 
perhaps  made  a  mistake,  for  she  had  never  heard  any  one 
called  by  other  than  their  right  name.  As  she  opened  the  study 

[  159  ] 


HEIDI 

door  she  heard  a  kind  voice  say,  "Ah,  here  comes  the  child! 
Come  along  in  and  let  me  have  a  good  look  at  you." 

Heidi  walked  up  to  her  and  said  very  distinctly  in  her 
clear  voice,  "Good-evening,"  and  then  wishing  to  follow 
her  instructions  called  her  what  would  be  in  English  "Mrs. 
Madam." 

"Well!"  said  the  grandmother,  laughing,  "is  that  how  they 
address  people  in  your  home  on  the  mountain?" 

"No,"  replied  Heidi  gravely,  "I  never  knew  any  one  with 
that  name  before." 

"Nor  I  either,"  laughed  the  grandmother  again  as  she  patted 
Heidi's  cheek.  "Never  mind!  when  I  am  with  the  children  I 
am  always  grandmamma;    you  won't  forget  that  name,  will 

"No,  no,"  Heidi  assured  her,  "I  often  used  to  say  it  at 
home." 

"I  understand,"  said  the  grandmother,  with  a  cheerful  little 
nod  of  the  head.  Then  she  looked  more  closely  at  Heidi,  giving 
another  nod  from  time  to  time,  and  the  child  looked  back  at  her 
with  steady,  serious  eyes,  for  there  was  something  kind  and 
warm-hearted  about  this  newcomer  that  pleased  Heidi,  and 
indeed  everything  to  do  with  the  grandmother  attracted  her,  so 
that  she  could  not  turn  her  eyes  away.  She  had  such  beautiful 
white  hair,  and  two  long  lace  ends  hung  down  from  the  cap  on 
her  head  and  waved  gently  about  her  face  every  time  she 
moved,  as  if  a  soft  breeze  were  blowing  round  her,  which  gave 
Heidi  a  peculiar  feeling  of  pleasure. 

"And  what  is  your  name,  child?"  the  grandmother  now 

asked. 

[160  1 


ANOTHER  GRANDMOTHER 

"I  am  always  called  Heidi;  but  as  I  am  now  to  be  called 
Adelaide,  I  will  try  and  take  care—"  Heidi  stopped  short,  for 
she  felt  a  little  guilty;  she  had  not  yet  grown  accustomed  to 
this  name;  she  continued  not  to  respond  when  Fraulein  Rot- 
tenmeier  suddenly  addressed  her  by  it,  and  the  lady  was  at  this 
moment  entering  the  room. 

"Frau  Sesemann  will  no  doubt  agree  with  me,"  she  in- 
terrupted, "that  it  was  necessary  to  choose  a  name  that 
could  be  pronounced  easily,  if  only  for  the  sake  of  the  ser- 
vants." 

"My  worthy  Rottenmeier,"  replied  Frau  Sesemann,  "if  a 
person  is  called  'Heidi'  and  has  grown  accustomed  to  that 
name,  I  call  her  by  the  same,  and  so  let  it  be." 

Fraulein  Rottenmeier  was  always  very  much  annoyed  that 
the  old  lady  continually  addressed  her  by  her  surname  only; 
but  it  was  no  use  minding,  for  the  grandmother  always  went  her 
own  way,  and  so  there  was  no  help  for  it.  Moreover  the  grand- 
mother was  a  keen  old  lady,  and  had  all  her  five  wits  about  her, 
and  she  knew  what  was  going  on  in  the  house  as  soon  as  she 
entered  it. 

When  on  the  following  day  Clara  lay  down  as  usual  on  her 
couch  after  dinner,  the  grandmother  sat  down  beside  her  for  a 
few  minutes  and  closed  her  eyes,  then  she  got  up  again  as 
lively  as  ever,  and  trotted  off  into  the  dining-room.  No  one 
was  there.  "She  is  asleep,  I  suppose,"  she  said  to  herself,  and 
then  going  up  to  Fraulein  Rottenmeier' s  room  she  gave  a  loud 
knock  at  the  door.  She  waited  a  few  minutes  and  then  Fraulein 
Rottenmeier  opened  the  door  and  drew  back  in  surprise  at  this 
unexpected  visit. 

[  161  ] 


HEIDI 

"Where  is  the  child,  and  what  is  she  doing  all  this  time? 
That  is  what  I  came  to  ask,"  said  Frau  Sesemann. 

"  She  is  sitting  in  her  room,  where  she  could  well  employ  her- 
self if  she  had  the  least  idea  of  making  herself  useful;  but  you 
have  no  idea,  Frau  Sesemann,  of  the  out-of-the-way  things  this 
child  imagines  and  does,  things  which  I  could  hardly  repeat  in 
good  society." 

"I  should  do  the  same  if  I  had  to  sit  in  there  like  that  child,  I 
can  tell  you;  I  doubt  if  you  would  then  like  to  repeat  what  I 
did,  in  good  society!  Go  and  fetch  the  child  and  bring  her  to 
my  room;  I  have  some  pretty  books  with  me  that  I  should  like 
to  give  her." 

"That  is  just  the  misfortune,"  said  Fraulein  Rottenmeier 
with  a  despairing  gesture,  "what  use  are  books  to  her?  She  has 
not  been  able  to  learn  her  ABC  even,  all  the  long  time  she  has 
been  here;  it  is  quite  impossible  to  get  the  least  idea  of  it  into 
her  head,  and  that  the  tutor  himself  will  tell  you;  if  he  had  not 
the  patience  of  an  angel  he  would  have  given  up  teaching  her 
long  ago." 

"That  is  very  strange,"  said  Frau  Sesemann,  "she  does  not 
look  to  me  like  a  child  who  would  be  unable  to  learn  her 
alphabet.  However,  bring  her  now  to  me,  she  can  at  least 
amuse  herself  with  the  pictures  in  the  books." 

Fraulein  Rottenmeier  was  prepared  with  some  further  re- 
marks, but  the  grandmother  had  turned  away  and  gone  quickly 
towards  her  own  room.  She  was  surprised  at  what  she  had  been 
told  about  Heidi's  incapacity  for  learning,  and  determined  to 
find  out  more  concerning  this  matter,  not  by  inquiries  from  the 
tutor,  however,  although  she  esteemed  him  highly  for  his  up- 

[162] 


ANOTHER  GRANDMOTHER 

Tightness  of  character;  she  had  always  a  friendly  greeting  for 
him,  but  always  avoided  being  drawn  into  conversation  with 
him,  for  she  found  his  style  of  talk  somewhat  wearisome. 

Heidi  now  appeared  and  gazed  with  open-eyed  delight  and 
wonder  at  the  beautiful  colored  pictures  in  the  books  which  the 
grandmother  gave  her  to  look  at.  All  of  a  sudden,  as  the  latter 
turned  over  one  of  the  pages  to  a  fresh  picture,  the  child  gave  a 
cry.  For  a  moment  or  two  she  looked  at  it  with  brightening 
eyes,  then  the  tears  began  to  fall,  and  at  last  she  burst  into  sobs. 
The  grandmother  looked  at  the  picture — it  represented  a  green 
pasture,  full  of  young  animals,  some  grazing  and  others  nib- 
bling at  the  shrubs.  In  the  middle  was  a  shepherd  leaning  upon 
his  staff  and  looking  on  at  his  happy  flock.  The  whole  scene  was 
bathed  in  golden  light,  for  the  sun  was  just  sinking  below  the 
horizon. 

The  grandmother  laid  her  hand  kindly  on  Heidi's.  "Don't 
cry,  dear  child,  don't  cry,"  she  said,  "the  picture  has  reminded 
you  perhaps  of  something.  But  see,  there  is  a  beautiful  tale  to 
the  picture  which  I  will  tell  you  this  evening.  And  there  are 
other  nice  tales  of  all  kinds  to  read  and  to  tell  again.  But  now 
we  must  have  a  little  talk  together,  so  dry  your  tears  and  come 
and  stand  in  front  of  me,  so  that  I  may  see  you  well — there, 
now  we  are  happy  again." 

But  it  was  some  little  time  before  Heidi  could  overcome  her 
sobs.  The  grandmother  gave  her  time  to  recover  herself,  saying 
cheering  words  to  her  now  and  then,  "There,  it's  all  right  now, 
and  we  are  quite  happy  again." 

When  at  last  she  saw  that  Heidi  was  growing  calmer,  she 
said,  "Now  I  want  you  to  tell  me  something.    How  are  you 

[163] 


HEIDI 

getting  on  in  your  school-time;  do  you  like  your  lessons,  and 
have  you  learnt  a  great  deal?" 

"Oh  no!"  replied  Heidi,  sighing,  "but  I  knew  beforehand 
that  it  was  not  possible  to  learn." 

"What  is  it  you  think  impossible  to  learn?" 

"Why,  to  read,  it  is  too  difficult." 

"You  don't  say  so!  and  who  told  you  that?" 

"Peter  told  me,  and  he  knew  all  about  it,  for  he  had  tried 
and  tried  and  could  not  learn  it." 

"Peter  must  be  a  very  odd  boy  then!  But  listen,  Heidi, 
we  must  not  always  go  by  what  Peter  says,  we  must  try  for 
ourselves.  I  am  certain  that  you  did  not  give  all  your  at- 
tention to  the  tutor  when  he  was  trying  to  teach  you  your 
letters." 

"It's  of  no  use,"  said  Heidi  in  the  tone  of  one  who  was  ready 
to  endure  what  could  not  be  cured. 

"Listen  to  what  I  have  to  say,"  continued  the  grandmother. 
"You  have  not  been  able  to  learn  your  alphabet  because  you 
believed  what  Peter  said ;  but  now  you  must  believe  what  I  tell 
you — and  I  tell  you  that  you  can  learn  to  read  in  a  very  little 
while,  as  many  other  children  do,  who  are  made  like  you  and 
not  like  Peter.  And  now  hear  what  comes  after — you  see  that 
picture  with  the  shepherd  and  the  animals — well,  as  soon  as  you 
are  able  to  read  you  shall  have  that  book  for  your  own,  and 
then  you  will  know  all  about  the  sheep  and  the  goats,  and  what 
the  shepherd  did,  and  the  wonderful  things  that  happened  to 
him,  just  as  if  some  one  were  telling  you  the  whole  tale.  You 
will  like  to  hear  about  all  that,  won't  you?" 

Heidi  had  listened  with  eager  attention  to  the  grandmother's 

[  164  ] 


ANOTHER  GRANDMOTHER 

words  and  now  with  a  sigh  exclaimed,  "Oh,  if  only  I  could  read 


■  r 


now! 

"It  won't  take  you  long  now  to  learn,  that  I  can  see;  and 
now  we  must  go  down  to  Clara;  bring  the  books  with  you." 
And  hand  in  hand  the  two  returned  to  the  study. 

Since  the  day  when  Heidi  had  so  longed  to  go  home,  and 
Fraulein  Rottenmeier  had  met  her  and  scolded  her  on  the 
steps,  and  told  her  how  wicked  and  ungrateful  she  was  to  try 
and  run  away,  and  what  a  good  thing  it  was  that  Herr  Sese- 
mann  knew  nothing  about  it,  a  change  had  come  over  the 
child.  She  had  at  last  understood  that  day  that  she  could  not 
go  home  when  she  wished,  as  Dete  had  told  her,  but  that  she 
would  have  to  stay  on  in  Frankfurt  for  a  long,  long  time,  per- 
haps for  ever.  She  had  also  understood  that  Herr  Sesemann 
would  think  it  ungrateful  of  her  if  she  wished  to  leave,  and  she 
believed  that  the  grandmother  and  Clara  would  think  the 
same.  So  there  was  nobody  to  whom  she  dared  confide  her 
longing  to  go  home,  for  she  would  not  for  the  world  have  given 
the  grandmother,  who  was  so  kind  to  her,  any  reason  for  being 
as  angry  with  her  as  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  had  been.  But  the 
weight  of  trouble  on  the  little  heart  grew  heavier  and  heavier; 
she  could  no  longer  eat  her  food,  and  every  day  she  grew  a  little 
paler.  She  lay  awake  for  long  hours  at  night,  for  as  soon  as  she 
was  alone  and  everything  was  still  around  her,  the  picture  of 
the  mountain  with  its  sunshine  and  flowers  rose  vividly  before 
her  eyes;  and  when  at  last  she  fell  asleep  it  was  to  dream  of  the 
rocks  and  the  snowfield  turning  crimson  in  the  evening  light, 
and  waking  in  the  morning  she  would  think  herself  back  at  the 
hut  and  prepare  to  run  joyfully  out  into  the  sun — and  then — 

[  165  ] 


HEIDI 

there  was  her  large  bed,  and  here  she  was  in  Frankfurt  far,  far 
away  from  home.  And  Heidi  would  often  lay  her  face  down  on 
the  pillow  and  weep  long  and  quietly  so  that  no  one  might  hear 
her. 

Heidi's  unhappiness  did  not  escape  the  grandmother's  notice. 
She  let  some  days  go  by  to  see  if  the  child  grew  brighter  and 
lost  her  downcast  appearance.  But  as  matters  did  not  mend, 
and  she  saw  that  many  mornings  Heidi  had  evidently  been  cry- 
ing before  she  came  downstairs,  she  took  her  again  into  her 
room  one  day,  and  drawing  the  child  to  her  said,  "  Now  tell  me, 
Heidi,  what  is  the  matter;   are  you  in  trouble?" 

But  Heidi,  afraid  if  she  told  the  truth  that  the  grandmother 
would  think  her  ungrateful,  and  would  then  leave  off  being  so 
kind  to  her,  answered,  "I  can't  tell  you." 

"Well,  could  you  tell  Clara  about  it?" 

"Oh,  no,  I  cannot  tell  any  one,"  said  Heidi  in  so  positive  a 
tone,  and  with  a  look  of  such  trouble  on  her  face,  that  the 
grandmother  felt  full  of  pity  for  the  child. 

"Then,  dear  child,  let  me  tell  you  what  to  do:  you  know  that 
when  we  are  in  great  trouble,  and  cannot  speak  about  it  to  any- 
body, we  must  turn  to  God  and  pray  Him  to  help,  for  He  can 
deliver  us  from  every  care  that  oppresses  us.  You  under- 
stand that,  do  you  not?  You  say  your  prayers  every  eve- 
ning to  the  dear  God  in  Heaven,  and  thank  Him  for  all  He 
has  done  for  you,  and  pray  Him  to  keep  you  from  all  evil,  do 
vou  not?" 

"No,  I  never  say  any  prayers,"  answered  Heidi. 

"Have  you  never  been  taught  to  pray,  Heidi?  do  you  not 

know  even  what  it  means?" 

[166] 


ANOTHER  GRANDMOTHER 

"I  used  to  say  prayers  with  the  first  grandmother,  but  that  is 
a  long  time  ago,  and  I  have  forgotten  them." 

"That  is  the  reason,  Heidi,  that  you  are  so  unhappy,  because 
you  know  no  one  who  can  help  you.  Think  what  a  comfort  it  is 
when  the  heart  is  heavy  with  grief  to  be  able  at  any  moment  to 
go  and  tell  everything  to  God,  and  pray  Him  for  the  help  that 
no  one  else  can  give  us.  And  He  can  help  us  and  give  us  every- 
thing that  will  make  us  happy  again." 

A  sudden  gleam  of  joy  came  into  Heidi's  eyes.  "May  I 
tell  Him  everything,  everything?" 

"Yes,  everything,  Heidi,  everything." 

Heidi  drew  her  hand  away,  which  the  grandmother  was 
holding  affectionately  between  her  own,  and  said  quickly, 
"May  I  go?" 

"Yes,  of  course,"  was  the  answer,  and  Heidi  ran  out  of  the 
room  into  her  own,  and  sitting  herself  on  a  stool,  folded  her 
hands  together  and  told  God  about  everything  that  was  mak- 
ing her  so  sad  and  unhappy,  and  begged  Him  earnestly  to  help 
her  and  to  let  her  go  home  to  her  grandfather. 

It  was  about  a  week  after  this  that  the  tutor  asked  Frau 
Sesemann's  permission  for  an  interview  with  her,  as  he  wished 
to  inform  her  of  a  remarkable  thing  that  had  come  to  pass.  So 
she  invited  him  to  her  room,  and  as  he  entered  she  held  out  her 
hand  in  greeting,  and  pushed  a  chair  towards  him.  "I  am 
pleased  to  see  you,"  she  said,  "pray  sit  down  and  tell  me  what 
brings  you  here;    nothing  bad,  no  complaints,  I  hope?" 

"Quite  the  reverse,"  began  the  tutor.  "Something  has  hap- 
pened that  I  had  given  up  hoping  for,  and  which  no  one,  know- 
ing what  has  gone  before,  could  have  guessed,  for,  according  to 

[167] 


HEIDI 

all  expectations,  that  which  has  taken  place  could  only  be 
looked  upon  as  a  miracle,  and  yet  it  really  has  come  to  pass  and 
in  the  most  extraordinary  manner,  quite  contrary  to  all  that 
one  could  anticipate — " 

"Has  the  child  Heidi  really  learnt  to  read  at  last?"  put  in 
Frau  Sesemann. 

The  tutor  looked  at  the  lady  in  speechless  astonishment.  At 
last  he  spoke  again.  "  It  is  indeed  truly  marvelous,  not  only  be- 
cause she  never  seemed  able  to  learn  her  ABC,  even  after  all 
my  full  explanations,  and  after  spending  unusual  pains  upon 
her,  but  because  now  she  has  learnt  it  so  rapidly,  just  after  I 
had  made  up  my  mind  to  make  no  further  attempts  at  the  im- 
possible but  to  put  the  letters  as  they  were  before  her  without 
any  dissertation  on  their  origin  and  meaning,  and  now  she  has 
as  you  might  say  learnt  her  letters  over  night,  and  started  at 
once  to  read  correctly,  quite  unlike  most  beginners.  And  it  is 
almost  as  astonishing  to  me  that  you  should  have  guessed  such 
an  unlikely  thing." 

"Many  unlikely  things  happen  in  life,"  said  Frau  Sesemann 
with  a  pleased  smile.  "Two  things  coming  together  may  pro- 
duce a  happy  result,  as,  for  instance,  a  fresh  zeal  for  learning 
and  a  new  method  of  teaching,  and  neither  does  any  harm.  We 
can  but  rejoice  that  the  child  has  made  such  a  good  start  and 
hope  for  her  future  progress." 

After  parting  with  the  tutor  she  went  down  to  the  study  to 
make  sure  of  the  good  news.  There,  sure  enough,  was  Heidi, 
sitting  beside  Clara  and  reading  aloud  to  her,  evidently  herself 
very  much  surprised,  and  growing  more  and  more  delighted 
with  the  new  world  that  was  now  open  to  her  as  the  black  let- 

[168] 


ANOTHER  GRANDMOTHER 

ters  grew  alive  and  turned  into  men  and  things  and  exciting 
stories.  That  same  evening  Heidi  found  the  large  book  with  the 
beautiful  pictures  lying  on  her  plate  when  she  took  her  place  at 
table,  and  when  she  looked  questioningly  at  the  grandmother,  the 
latter  nodded  kindly  to  her  and  said,  "Yes,  it's  yours  now." 

"Mine,  to  keep  always?  even  when  I  go  home?"  said  Heidi, 
blushing  with  pleasure. 

"Yes,  of  course,  yours  forever,"  the  grandmother  assured 
her.    "To-morrow  we  will  begin  to  read  it." 

"But  you  are  not  going  home  yet,  Heidi,  not  for  years,"  put 
in  Clara.  "When  grandmother  goes  away,  I  shall  want  you  to 
stay  on  with  me." 

When  Heidi  went  to  her  room  that  night  she  had  another 
look  at  her  book  before  going  to  bed,  and  from  that  day  forth 
her  chief  pleasure  was  to  read  the  tales  which  belonged  to  the 
beautiful  pictures  over  and  over  again.  If  the  grandmother 
said,  as  they  were  sitting  together  in  the  evening,  "Now  Heidi 
will  read  aloud  to  us,"  Heidi  was  delighted,  for  reading  was  no 
trouble  to  her  now,  and  when  she  read  the  tales  aloud  the  scenes 
seemed  to  grow  more  beautiful  and  distinct,  and  then  grand- 
mother would  explain  and  tell  her  more  about  them  still. 

Still  the  picture  she  liked  best  was  the  one  of  the  shepherd 
leaning  on  his  staff  with  his  flock  around  him  in  the  midst  of  the 
green  pasture,  for  he  was  now  at  home  and  happy,  following  his 
father's  sheep  and  goats.  Then  came  the  picture  where  he  was 
seen  far  away  from  his  father's  house,  obliged  to  look  after  the 
swine,  and  he  had  grown  pale  and  thin  from  the  husks  which 
were  all  he  had  to  eat.  Even  the  sun  seemed  here  to  be  less 
bright  and  everything  looked  gray  and  misty.   But  there  was 

[  169  ] 


HEIDI 

the  third  picture  still  to  this  tale :  here  was  the  old  father  with 
outstretched  arms  running  to  meet  and  embrace  his  returning 
and  repentant  son,  who  was  advancing  timidly,  worn  out  and 
emaciated  and  clad  in  a  ragged  coat.  That  was  Heidi's  favorite 
tale,  which  she  read  over  and  over  again,  aloud  and  to  herself, 
and  she  was  never  tired  of  hearing  the  grandmother  explain  it 
to  her  and  Clara.  But  there  were  other  tales  in  the  book  be- 
sides, and  what  with  reading  and  looking  at  the  pictures  the 
days  passed  quickly  away,  and  the  time  drew  near  for  the 
grandmother  to  return  home. 


[170] 


CHAPTER  XI 

HEIDI  GAINS  IN  ONE  WAY  AND  LOSES  IN 
ANOTHER 

EVERY  afternoon  during  her  visit  the  grandmother  went 
and  sat  down  for  a  few  minutes  beside  Clara  after 
dinner,  when  the  latter  was  resting,  and  Fraulein  Rot- 
tenmeier,  probably  for  the  same  reason,  had  disappeared  inside 
her  room ;  but  five  minutes  sufficed  her,  and  then  she  was  up 
again,  and  Heidi  was  sent  for  to  her  room,  and  there  she  would 
talk  to  the  child  and  employ  and  amuse  her  in  all  sorts  of  ways. 
The  grandmother  had  a  lot  of  pretty  dolls,  and  she  showed 
Heidi  how  to  make  dresses  and  pinafores  for  them,  so  that 
Heidi  learnt  how  to  sew  and  to  make  all  sorts  of  beautiful 
clothes  for  the  little  people  out  of  a  wonderful  collection  of 
pieces  that  grandmother  had  by  her  of  every  describable  and 
lovely  color.  And  then  grandmother  liked  to  hear  her  read 
aloud,  and  the  oftener  Heidi  read  her  tales  the  fonder  she  grew 
of  them.  She  entered  into  the  lives  of  all  the  people  she  read 
about  so  that  they  became  like  dear  friends  to  her,  and  it  de- 
lighted her  more  and  more  to  be  with  them.  But  still  Heidi 
never  looked  really  happy,  and  her  bright  eyes  were  no  longer 
to  be  seen.  It  was  the  last  week  of  the  grandmother's  visit. 
She  called  Heidi  into  her  room  as  usual  one  day  after  dinner, 
and  the  child  came  with  her  book  under  her  arm.  The  grand- 
mother called  her  to  come  close,  and  then  laying  the  book  aside, 

[  173  ] 


HEIDI 

said,  "Now,  child,  tell  me  why  you  are  not  happy?  Have  you 
still  the  same  trouble  at  heart?" 

Heidi  nodded  in  reply. 

"Have  you  told  God  about  it?" 

"Yes." 

"And  do  you  pray  every  day  that  He  will  make  things  right 
and  that  you  may  be  happy  again?" 

"No,  I  have  left  off  praying." 

"Do  not  tell  me  that,  Heidi!  Why  have  you  left  off  pray- 
mg? 

"It  is  of  no  use,  God  does  not  listen,"  Heidi  went  on  in  an 
agitated  voice,  "and  I  can  understand  that  when  there  are  so 
many,  many  people  in  Frankfurt  praying  to  Him  every  even- 
ing that  He  cannot  attend  to  them  all,  and  He  certainly  has 
not  heard  what  I  said  to  Him. " 

"And  why  are  you  so  sure  of  that,  Heidi?" 

"Because  I  have  prayed  for  the  same  thing  every  day  for 
weeks,  and  yet  God  has  not  done  what  I  asked. " 

"You  are  wrong,  Heidi;  you  must  not  think  of  Him  like 
that.  God  is  a  good  father  to  us  all,  and  knows  better  than  we 
do  what  is  good  for  us.  If  we  ask  Him  for  something  that  is 
not  good  for  us,  He  does  not  give  it,  but  something  better  still, 
if  only  we  will  continue  to  pray  earnestly  and  do  not  run  away 
and  lose  our  trust  in  Him.  God  did  not  think  what  you  have 
been  praying  for  was  good  for  you  just  now;  but  be  sure  He 
heard  you,  for  He  can  hear  and  see  every  one  at  the  same  time, 
because  He  is  a  God  and  not  a  human  being  like  you  and  me. 
And  because  He  thought  it  was  better  for  you  not  to  have  at 
once  what  you  wanted,  He  said  to  Himself:  Yes,  Heidi  shall 

[  174  ] 


GAINS  AND  LOSES 

have  what  she  asks  for,  but  not  until  the  right  time  comes,  so 
that  she  may  be  quite  happy.  If  I  do  what  she  wants  now,  and 
then  one  day  she  sees  that  it  would  have  been  better  for  her 
not  to  have  had  her  own  way,  she  will  cry  and  say,  'If  only  God 
had  not  given  me  what  I  asked  for!  it  is  not  so  good  as  I  ex- 
pected ! '  And  while  God  is  watching  over  you,  and  looking  to 
see  if  you  will  trust  Him  and  go  on  praying  to  Him  every  day, 
and  turn  to  Him  for  everything  you  want,  you  run  away  and 
leave  off  saying  your  prayers,  and  forget  all  about  Him.  And 
when  God  no  longer  hears  the  voice  of  one  He  knew  among 
those  who  pray  to  Him,  He  lets  that  person  go  his  own  way, 
that  he  may  learn  how  foolish  he  is.  And  then  this  one  gets 
into  trouble,  and  cries,  'Save  me,  God,  for  there  is  none  other 
to  help  me,'  and  God  says,  'Why  did  you  go  from  Me;  I  could 
not  help  you  when  you  ran  away. '  And  you  would  not  like  to 
grieve  God,  would  you  Heidi,  when  He  only  wants  to  be  kind 
to  you?  So  will  you  not  go  and  ask  Him  to  forgive  you,  and  con- 
tinue to  pray  and  to  trust  Him,  for  you  may  be  sure  that  He 
will  make  everything  right  and  happy  for  you,  and  then  you 
will  be  glad  and  lighthearted  again." 

Heidi  had  perfect  confidence  in  the  grandmother,  and  every 
word  she  said  sunk  into  her  heart. 

"I  will  go  at  once  and  ask  God  to  forgive  me,  and  I  will  never 
forget  Him  again,"  she  replied  repentantly. 

"That  is  right,  dear  child, "  and  anxious  to  cheer  her.  added, 
"Don't  be  unhappy,  for  He  will  do  everything  you  wish  in 
good  time." 

And  Heidi  ran  away  and  prayed  that  she  might  always  re- 
member God,  and  that  He  would  go  on  thinking  about  her. 

[  175  ] 


HEIDI 

The  day  came  for  grandmother's  departure — a  sad  one  for 
Clara  and  Heidi.  But  the  grandmother  was  determined  to 
make  it  as  much  like  a  holiday  as  possible  and  not  to  let  them 
mope,  and  she  kept  them  so  lively  and  amused  that  they  had 
no  time  to  think  about  their  sorrow  at  her  going  until  she  really 
drove  away.  Then  the  house  seemed  so  silent  and  empty  that 
Heidi  and  Clara  did  not  know  what  to  do  with  themselves,  and 
sat  during  the  remainder  of  the  day  like  two  lost  children. 

The  next  day,  when  the  hour  came  for  Clara  and  Heidi  to  be 
together,  the  latter  walked  in  with  her  book  and  proposed  that 
she  should  go  on  reading  aloud  every  afternoon  to  Clara,  if  the 
latter  liked  it.  Clara  agreed,  and  thought  anyhow  it  would  be 
nice  for  that  day,  so  Heidi  began  with  her  usual  enthusiasm. 
But  the  reading  did  not  last  long,  for  Heidi  had  hardly  begun 
a  tale  about  a  dying  grandmother  before  she  cried  out,  "O! 
then  grandmother  is  dead!"  and  burst  into  tears;  for  every- 
thing she  read  was  so  real  to  her  that  she  quite  thought  it  was 
the  grandmother  at  home  who  had  died,  and  she  kept  on  ex- 
claiming as  her  sobs  increased,  "She  is  dead,  and  I  shall  never 
see  her  again,  and  she  never  had  one  of  the  white  rolls!" 

Clara  did  all  she  could  to  explain  to  Heidi  that  the  story  was 
about  quite  a  different  grandmother;  but  even  when  at  last  she 
had  been  able  to  convince  Heidi  of  this,  the  latter  continued  to 
weep  inconsolably,  for  now  she  had  awakened  to  the  thought 
that  perhaps  the  grandmother,  and  even  the  grandfather  also, 
might  die  while  she  was  so  far  away,  and  that  if  she  did  not  go 
home  for  a  long  time  she  would  find  everything  there  all  silent 
and  dead,  and  there  she  would  be  all  alone,  and  would  never  be 
able  to  see  the  dear  ones  she  loved  any  more. 

[176] 


GAINS  AND  LOSES 

Fraulein  Rottenmeier  had  meanwhile  come  into  the  room, 
and  Clara  explained  to  her  what  had  happened.  As  Heidi  con- 
tinued her  weeping,  the  lady,  who  was  evidently  getting  im- 
patient with  her,  went  up  to  Heidi  and  said  with  decision, 
"Now,  Adelaide,  that  is  enough  of  all  this  causeless  lamenta- 
tion. I  will  tell  you  once  for  all,  if  there  are  any  more  scenes 
like  this  while  you  are  reading,  I  shall  take  the  book  away  from 
you  and  shall  not  let  you  have  it  again. " 

Her  words  had  immediate  effect  on  Heidi,  who  turned  pale 
with  fear.  The  book  was  her  one  great  treasure.  She  quickly 
dried  her  tears  and  swallowed  her  sobs  as  best  she  could,  so 
that  no  further  sound  of  them  should  be  heard.  The  threat  did 
its  work,  for  Heidi  never  cried  aloud  again  whatever  she  might 
be  reading,  but  she  had  often  to  struggle  hard  to  keep  back  her 
tears,  so  that  Clara  would  look  at  her  and  say, 

"What  faces  you  are  making,  Heidi,  I  never  saw  anything 
like  it!"  But  the  faces  made  no  noise  and  did  not  offend  Frau- 
lein Rottenmeier,  and  Heidi,  having  overcome  her  fit  of  des- 
pairing misery,  would  go  quietly  on  for  a  while,  and  no  one  per- 
ceived her  sorrow.  But  she  lost  all  her  appetite,  and  looked  so 
pale  and  thin  that  Sebastian  was  quite  unhappy  when  he 
looked  at  her,  and  could  not  bear  to  see  her  refusing  all  the 
nice  dishes  hehanded  her.  He  would  whisper  to  her  sometimes,  in 
quite  a  kind,  fatherly  manner,  "Take  a  little;  you  don't  know 
how  nice  it  is !  There,  a  good  spoonful,  now  another. "  But  it 
was  of  no  use,  Heidi  hardly  ate  anything  at  all,  and  as  soon  as 
she  laid  her  head  down  at  night  the  picture  of  home  would  rise 
before  her  eyes,  and  she  would  weep,  burying  her  face  in  the 
pillow  that  her  crying  might  not  be  heard. 

[  177  ] 


HEIDI 

And  so  many  weeks  passed  away.  Heidi  did  not  know  if  it 
was  winter  or  summer,  for  the  walls  and  windows  she  looked 
out  upon  showed  no  change,  and  she  never  went  beyond  the 
house  except  on  rare  occasions,  when  Clara  was  well  enough  to 
drive  out,  and  then  they  only  went  a  very  little  way,  as  Clara 
could  not  bear  the  movement  for  long.  So  that  on  these 
occasions  they  generally  only  saw  more  fine  streets  and  large 
houses  and  crowds  of  people;  they  seldom  got  anywhere  be- 
yond them,  and  grass  and  flowers,  fir  trees  and  mountains,  were 
still  far  away.  Heidi's  longing  for  the  old  familiar  and  beauti- 
ful things  grew  daily  stronger,  so  that  now  only  to  read  a  word 
that  recalled  them  to  her  remembrance  brought  her  to  the 
verge  of  tears,  which  with  difficulty  she  suppressed.  So  the 
autumn  and  winter  passed,  and  again  the  sun  came  shining 
down  on  the  white  walls  of  the  opposite  houses,  and  Heidi 
would  think  to  herself  that  now  the  time  had  come  for  Peter  to 
go  out  again  with  the  goats,  to  where  the  golden  flowers  of  the 
cistus  were  glowing  in  the  sunlight,  and  all  the  rocks  around 
turned  to  fire  at  sunset.  Heidi  would  go  and  sit  in  a  corner  of 
her  lonely  room  and  put  her  hands  up  to  her  eyes  that  she 
might  not  see  the  sun  shining  on  the  opposite  wall;  and  then  she 
would  remain  without  moving,  battling  silently  with  her  ter- 
rible home-sickness  until  Clara  sent  for  her  again. 


[178] 


CHAPTER  XII 
A  GHOST  IN  THE  HOUSE 

FOR  some  days  past  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  had  gone 
about  rather  silently  and  as  if  lost  in  thought.  As  twi- 
light fell,  and  she  passed  from  room  to  room,  or  along 
the  long  corridors,  she  was  seen  to  look  cautiously  behind  her, 
and  into  the  dark  corners,  as  if  she  thought  some  one  was  com- 
ing silently  behind  her  and  might  unexpectedly  give  her  dress 
a  pull.  Nor  would  she  now  go  alone  into  some  parts  of  the 
house.  If  she  visited  the  upper  floor  where  the  grand  guest- 
chambers  were,  or  had  to  go  down  into  the  large  mysterious 
council-chamber,  where  every  footstep  echoed,  and  the  old 
senators  with  their  big  white  collars  looked  down  so  solemnly 
and  immovably  from  their  frames,  she  regularly  called  Tinette 
to  accompany  her,  in  case,  as  she  said,  there  might  be  some- 
thing to  carry  up  or  down.  Tinette  on  her  side  did  exactly  the 
same;  if  she  had  business  upstairs  or  down,  she  called  Sebastian 
to  accompany  her,  and  there  was  always  something  he  must 
help  her  with  which  she  could  not  carry  alone.  More  curious 
still,  Sebastian,  also,  if  sent  into  one  of  the  more  distant  rooms, 
always  called  John  to  go  with  him  in  case  he  should  want  his 
assistance  in  bringing  what  was  required.  And  John  readily 
obeyed,  although  there  was  never  anything  to  carry,  and  either 
might  well  have  gone  alone;  but  he  did  not  know  how  soon  he 
might  want  to  ask  Sebastian  to  do  the  same  service  for  him. 
And  while  these  things  were  going  on  upstairs,  the  cook,  who 

[  181  ] 


HEIDI 

had  been  in  the  house  for  years,  would  stand  shaking  her  head 
over  her  pots  and  kettles,  and  sighing,  "That  ever  I  should  live 
to  know  such  a  thing." 

For  something  very  strange  and  mysterious  was  going  on  in 
Herr  Sesemann's  house.  Every  morning,  when  the  servants 
went  downstairs,  they  found  the  front  door  wide  open,  although 
nobody  could  be  seen  far  or  near  to  account  for  it.  During  the 
first  few  days  that  this  happened  every  room  and  corner  was 
searched  in  great  alarm,  to  see  if  anything  had  been  stolen,  for 
the  general  idea  was  that  a  thief  had  been  hiding  in  the  house 
and  had  gone  off  in  the  night  with  the  stolen  goods;  but  not  a 
thing  in  the  house  had  been  touched,  everything  was  safe  in  its 
place.  The  door  was  doubly  locked  at  night,  and  for  further 
security  the  wooden  bar  was  fastened  across  it;  but  it  was  no 
good — next  morning  the  door  again  stood  open.  The  servants 
in  their  fear  and  excitement  got  up  extra  early,  but  not  so 
early  but  what  the  door  had  been  opened  before  they  got  down- 
stairs, although  everything  and  everybody  around  were  still 
wrapped  in  slumber,  and  the  doors  and  windows  of  the  ad- 
joining houses  all  fast  shut.  At  last,  after  a  great  deal  of  persua- 
sion from  Fraulein  Rottenmeier,  Sebastian  and  John  plucked 
up  courage  and  agreed  to  sit  up  one  night  in  the  room  next 
to  the  large  council-chamber  and  to  watch  and  see  what  would 
happen.  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  looked  up  several  weapons  be- 
longing to  the  master,  and  gave  these  and  a  bottle  of  spirits  to 
Sebastian,  so  that  their  courage  might  not  faint  if  it  came  to  a 
fight. 

On  the  appointed  night  the  two  sat  down  and  began  at  once 
to   take   some   of   the   strengthening  cordial,  which  at  first 

[182] 


A  GHOST  IN  THE  HOUSE 

made  them  very  talkative  and  then  very  sleepy,  so  that  they 
leaned  back  in  their  seats  and  became  silent.  As  midnight 
struck,  Sebastian  roused  himself  and  called  to  his  companion, 
who,  however,  was  not  easy  to  wake,  and  kept  rolling  his  head 
first  to  one  side  and  then  the  other  and  continuing  to  sleep. 
Sebastian  began  to  listen  more  attentively,  for  he  was  wide 
awake  now.  Everything  was  still  as  a  mouse,  all  sound  had 
died  away  from  the  streets  even.  He  did  not  feel  inclined  to  go 
to  sleep  again,  for  the  stillness  was  ghostly  to  him,  and  he  was 
afraid  now  to  raise  his  voice  to  rouse  John,  so  he  shook  him 
gently  to  make  him  stir.  At  last,  as  one  struck,  John  woke  up, 
and  came  back  to  the  consciousness  of  why  he  was  sitting  in  a 
chair  instead  of  lying  in  his  bed.  He  now  got  up  with  a  great 
show  of  courage  and  said,  "  Come,  Sebastain,  we  must  go  out- 
side and  see  what  is  going  on;  you  need  not  be  afraid,  just 
follow  me." 

Whereupon  he  opened  the  door  wide  and  stepped  into  the 
hall.  Just  as  he  did  so  a  sudden  gust  of  air  blew  through  the 
open  front  door  and  put  out  the  light  which  John  held  in  his 
hand.  He  started  back,  almost  overturning  Sebastian,  whom 
he  clutched  and  pulled  back  into  the  room,  and  then  shutting 
the  door  quickly  he  turned  the  key  as  far  as  he  could  make  it 
go.  Then  he  pulled  out  his  matches  and  lighted  his  candle 
again.  Sebastian,  in  the  suddenness  of  the  affair,  did  not  know 
exactly  what  had  happened,  for  he  had  not  seen  the  open  door 
or  felt  the  breeze  behind  John's  broad  figure.  But  now,  as  he 
saw  the  latter  in  the  light,  he  gave  a  cry  of  alarm,  for  John  was 
trembling  all  over  and  as  white  as  a  ghost.  "  What's  the  matter? 
What  did  you  see  outside?"  asked  Sebastian  sympathetically. 

[183] 


HEIDI 

"The  door  partly  open,"  gasped  John,  "and  a  white  figure 
standing  at  the  top  of  the  steps — there  it  stood,  and  then  all  in 
a  minute  it  disappeared." 

Sebastian  felt  his  blood  run  cold.  The  two  sat  down  close 
to  one  another  and  did  not  dare  move  again  till  the  morning 
broke  and  the  streets  began  to  be  alive  again.  Then  they  left 
the  room  together,  shut  the  front  door,  and  went  upstairs  to 
tell  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  of  their  experience.  She  was  quite 
ready  to  receive  them,  for  she  had  not  been  able  to  sleep  at  all 
in  the  anxiety  of  waiting  to  hear  their  report.  They  had  no 
sooner  given  her  details  of  the  night's  experience  than  she  sat 
down  and  wrote  straight  off  to  Herr  Sesemann,  who  had  never 
received  such  a  letter  before  in  his  life.  She  could  hardly  write,  she 
told  him,  for  her  fingers  were  stiff  with  fear,  and  Herr  Sesemann 
must  please  arrange  to  come  back  at  once,  for  dreadful  and 
unaccountable  things  were  taking  place  at  home.  Then  she 
entered  into  particulars  of  all  that  had  happened,  of  how  the 
door  was  found  standing  open  every  morning,  and  how  nobody 
in  the  house  now  felt  sure  of  their  life  in  this  unprotected  state 
of  things,  and  how  it  was  impossible  to  tell  what  terrible  results 
might  follow  on  these  mysterious  doings. 

Herr  Sesemann  answered  that  it  was  quite  impossible  for 
him  to  arrange  to  leave  his  business  and  return  home  at  once. 
He  was  very  much  astonished  at  this  ghost  tale,  but  hoped  by 
this  time  the  ghost  had  disappeared.  If,  however,  it  still  con- 
tinued to  disturb  the  household,  would  Fraulein  Rottenmeier 
write  to  the  grandmother  and  ask  her  if  she  could  come  and  do 
something;  she,  he  was  sure,  would  soon  find  out  a  way  to  deal 
with  the  ghost  so  that  it  would  not  venture  again  to  haunt  his 

[  184  ] 


A  GHOST  IN  THE  HOUSE 

house.  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  was  not  pleased  with  the  tone  of 
this  letter;  she  did  not  think  the  matter  was  treated  seriously 
enough.  She  wrote  off  without  delay  to  Frau  Sesemann,  but 
got  no  more  satisfactory  reply  from  that  quarter,  and  some 
remarks  in  the  letter  she  considered  were  quite  offensive.  Frau 
Sesemann  wrote  that  she  did  not  feel  inclined  to  take  the  jour- 
ney again  from  Holstein  to  Frankfurt  because  Rottenmeier 
fancied  she  saw  ghosts.  There  had  never  been  a  ghost  in  the 
house  since  she  had  known  it,  and  if  there  was  one  now  it  must 
be  a  live  one,  with  which  Rottenmeier  ought  to  be  able  to  deal ; 
if  not  she  had  better  send  for  the  watchman  to  help  her. 

Fraulein  Rottenmeier,  however,  was  determined  not  to  pass 
any  more  days  in  a  state  of  fear,  and  she  knew  the  right  course 
to  pursue.  She  had  as  yet  said  nothing  to  the  children  of  the 
ghostly  apparitions,  for  she  knew  if  she  did  that  the  children 
would  not  remain  alone  for  a  single  moment,  and  that  might 
entail  discomfort  for  herself.  But  now  she  walked  straight  off 
into  the  study,  and  there,  in  a  low,  mysterious  voice,  told  the  two 
children  everything  that  had  taken  place.  Clara  immediately 
screamed  out  that  she  could  not  remain  another  minute  alone, 
her  father  must  come  home,  and  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  must 
sleep  in  her  room  at  night,  and  Heidi  too  must  not  be  left  by 
herself,  for  the  ghost  might  do  something  to  her.  She  insisted 
that  they  should  all  sleep  together  in  one  room  and  keep  a  light 
burning  all  night,  and  Tinette  had  better  be  in  the  next  room, 
and  Sebastian  and  John  come  upstairs  and  spend  the  night  in 
the  hall,  so  that  they  might  call  out  and  frighten  the  ghost  the 
instant  they  saw  it  appear  on  the  steps.  Clara,  in  short,  grew 
very  excited,  and  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  had  great  difficulty  in 

[  185  ] 


HEIDI 

quieting  her.  She  promised  to  write  at  once  to  her  father,  and 
to  have  her  bed  put  in  her  room,  and  not  to  be  left  alone  for  a 
moment.  They  could  not  all  sleep  in  the  same  room,  but  if 
Heidi  was  frightened,  why  Tinette  must  go  into  her  room. 
But  Heidi  was  far  more  frightened  of  Tinette  than  of  ghosts,  of 
which  the  child  had  never  before  heard,  so  she  assured  the 
others  she  did  not  mind  the  ghost,  and  would  rather  be  alone 
at  night. 

Fraulein  Rottenmeier  now  sat  down  to  write  another  letter 
to  Herr  Sesemann,  stating  that  these  unaccountable  things  that 
were  going  on  in  the  house  had  so  affected  his  daughter's  deli- 
cate constitution  that  the  worst  consequences  might  be  ex- 
pected. Epileptic  fits  and  St.  Vitus's  dance  often  came  on  sud- 
denly in  cases  like  this,  and  Clara  was  liable  to  be  attacked  by 
either  if  the  cause  of  the  general  alarm  was  not  removed. 

The  letter  was  successful,  and  two  days  later  Herr  Sesemann 
stood  at  his  front  door  and  rang  the  bell  in  such  a  manner  that 
everybody  came  rushing  from  all  parts  of  the  house  and  stood 
looking  affrighted  at  everybody  else,  convinced  that  the  ghost 
was  impudently  beginning  its  evil  tricks  in  daylight.  Sebastian 
peeped  cautiously  through  a  half -closed  shutter;  as  he  did  so 
there  came  another  violent  ring  at  the  bell,  which  it  was  impos- 
sible to  mistake  for  anything  but  a  very  hard  pull  from  a  non- 
ghostly  hand.  And  Sebastian  recognized  whose  hand  it  was, 
and  rushing  pell-mell  out  of  the  room,  fell  heels  over  head 
downstairs,  but  picked  himself  up  at  the  bottom  and  flung 
open  the  street  door.  Herr  Sesemann  greeted  him  abruptly  and 
went  up  without  a  moment's  delay  into  his  daughter's  room. 
Clara  greeted  him  with  a  cry  of  joy,  and  seeing  her  so  lively  and 

[  186"] 


A  GHOST  IN  THE  HOUSE 

apparently  as  well  as  ever,  his  face  cleared,  and  the  frown  of 
anxiety  passed  gradually  away  from  it  as  he  heard  from  his 
daughter's  own  lips  that  she  had  nothing  the  matter  with  her, 
and  moreover  was  so  delighted  to  see  him  that  she  was  quite 
glad  about  the  ghost,  as  it  was  the  cause  of  bringing  him  home 
again. 

"And  how  is  the  ghost  getting  on?"  he  asked,  turning  to 
Fraulein  Rottenmeier,  with  a  twinkle  of  amusement  in  his  eye. 

"It  is  no  joke,  I  assure  you,"  replied  that  lady.  "You  will  not 
laugh  yourself  to-morrow  morning,  Herr  Sesemann;  what  is 
going  on  in  the  house  points  to  some  terrible  thing  that  has 
taken  place  in  the  past  and  been  concealed." 

"Well,  I  know  nothing  about  that,"  said  the  master  of  the 
house,  "but  I  must  beg  you  not  to  bring  suspicion  on  my 
worthy  ancestors.  And  now  will  you  kindly  call  Sebastian  into 
the  dining-room,  as  I  wish  to  speak  to  him  alone." 

Herr  Sesemann  had  been  quite  aware  that  Sebastian  and 
Fraulein  Rottenmeier  were  not  on  the  best  of  terms,  and  he  had 
his  ideas  about  this  scare. 

"Come  here,  lad,"  he  said  as  Sebastian  appeared,  "and  tell 
me  frankly — have  you  been  playing  at  ghosts  to  amuse  yourself 
at  Fraulein  Rottenmeier' s  expense?" 

"No,  on  my  honor,  sir;  pray,  do  not  think  it;  I  am  very 
uncomfortable  about  the  matter  myself,"  answered  Sebastian 
with  unmistakable  truthfulness. 

"Well,  if  that  is  so,  I  will  show  you  and  John  to-morrow 
morning  how  ghosts  look  in  the  daylight.  You  ought  to  be 
ashamed  of  yourself,  Sebastian,  a  great  strong  lad  like  you,  to 
run  away  from  a  ghost!  But  now  go  and  take  a  message  to  my 

[187] 


HEIDI 

old  friend  the  doctor;  give  him  my  kind  regards,  and  ask  him 
if  he  will  come  to  me  to-night  at  nine  o'clock  without  fail;  I 
have  come  by  express  from  Paris  to  consult  him.  I  shall  want 
him  to  spend  the  night  here,  so  bad  a  case  is  it;  so  he  will 
arrange  accordingly.    You  understand?" 

"Yes,  sir,"  replied  Sebastian,  "I  will  see  to  the  matter  as  you 
wish."  Then  Herr  Sesemann  returned  to  Clara,  and  begged  her 
to  have  no  more  fear,  as  he  would  soon  find  out  all  about  the 
ghost  and  put  an  end  to  it. 

Punctually  at  nine  o'clock,  after  the  children  had  gone  to  bed 
and  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  had  retired,  the  doctor  arrived.  He 
was  a  gray-haired  man  with  a  fresh  face,  and  two  bright, 
kindly  eyes.  He  looked  anxious  as  he  walked  in,  but,  on  catch- 
ing sight  of  his  patient,  burst  out  laughing  and  clapped  him  on 
the  shoulder.  "Well,"  he  said,  "you  look  pretty  bad  for  a  per- 
son that  I  am  to  sit  up  with  all  night." 

"Patience,  friend,"  answered  Herr  Sesemann,  "the  one  you 
have  to  sit  up  for  will  look  a  good  deal  worse  when  we  have 
once  caught  him." 

"  So  there  is  a  sick  person  in  the  house,  and  one  that  has  first 
to  be  caught?" 

"Much  worse  than  that,  doctor!  a  ghost  in  the  house!  My 
house  is  haunted!" 

The  doctor  laughed  aloud. 

"That's  a  nice  way  of  showing  sympathy,  doctor!"  con- 
tinued Herr  Sesemann.  "It's  a  pity  my  friend  Rottenmeier 
cannot  hear  you.  She  is  firmly  convinced  that  some  old  mem- 
ber of  the  family  is  wandering  about  the  house  doing  penance 

for  some  awful  crime  he  committed." 

[188] 


A  GHOST  IN  THE  HOUSE 

"How  did  she  become  acquainted  with  him?"  asked  the 
doctor,  still  very  much  amused. 

So  Herr  Sesemann  recounted  to  him  how  the  front  door  was 
nightly  opened  by  somebody,  according  to  the  testimony  of  the 
combined  household,  and  he  had  therefore  provided  two  loaded 
revolvers,  so  as  to  be  prepared  for  anything  that  happened;  for 
either  the  whole  thing  was  a  joke  got  up  by  some  friend  of  the 
servants,  just  to  alarm  the  household  while  he  was  away — and 
in  that  case  a  pistol  fired  into  the  air  would  procure  him  a 
wholesome  fright — or  else  it  was  a  thief,  who,  by  leading  every- 
body at  first  to  think  there  was  a  ghost,  made  it  safe  for  himself 
when  he  came  later  to  steal,  as  no  one  would  venture  to  run  out 
if  they  heard  him,  and  in  that  case  too  a  good  weapon  would 
not  be  amiss. 

The  two  took  up  their  quarters  for  the  night  in  the  same 
room  in  which  Sebastian  and  John  had  kept  watch.  A  bottle 
of  wine  was  placed  on  the  table,  for  a  little  refreshment  would 
be  welcome  from  time  to  time  if  the  night  was  to  be  passed 
sitting  up.  Beside  it  lay  the  two  revolvers,  and  two  good-sized 
candles  had  also  been  lighted,  for  Herr  Sesemann  was  deter- 
mined not  to  wait  for  ghosts  in  any  half  light. 

The  door  was  shut  close  to  prevent  the  light  being  seen  in  the 
hall  outside,  which  might  frighten  away  the  ghost.  And  now 
the  two  gentlemen  sat  comfortably  back  in  the  arm-chairs  and 
began  talking  of  all  sorts  of  things,  now  and  then  pausing  to 
take  a  good  draught  of  wine,  and  so  twelve  o'clock  struck  be- 
fore they  were  aware. 

"The  ghost  has  got  scent  of  us  and  is  keeping  away  to-night," 
said  the  doctor. 

[189] 


HEIDI 

"Wait  a  bit,  it  does  not  generally  appear  before  one  o'clock," 
answered  his  friend. 

They  started  talking  again.  One  o'clock  struck.  There  was 
not  a  sound  about  the  house,  nor  in  the  street  outside.  Sud- 
denly the  doctor  lifted  his  finger. 

"Hush!  Sesemann,  don't  you  hear  something?" 

They  both  listened,  and  they  distinctly  heard  the  bar  softly 
pushed  aside  and  then  the  key  turned  in  the  lock  and  the  door 
opened.   Herr  Sesemann  put  out  his  hand  for  his  revolver. 

"You  are  not  afraid,  are  you?  "  said  the  doctor  as  he  stood  up. 

"It  is  better  to  take  precautions,"  whispered  Herr  Sesemann, 
and  seizing  one  of  the  lights  in  his  other  hand,  he  followed  the 
doctor,  who,  armed  in  like  manner  with  a  light  and  a  revolver, 
went  softly  on  in  front.  They  stepped  into  the  hall.  The  moon- 
light was  shining  in  through  the  open  door  and  fell  on  a  white 
figure  standing  motionless  in  the  doorway. 

"  Who  is  there?  "  thundered  the  doctor  in  a  voice  that  echoed 
through  the  hall,  as  the  two  men  advanced  with  lights  and 
weapons  towards  the  figure. 

It  turned  and  gave  a  low  cry.  There  in  her  little  white  night- 
gown stood  Heidi,  with  bare  feet,  staring  with  wild  eyes  at  the 
lights  and  the  revolvers,  and  trembling  from  head  to  foot  like  a 
leaf  in  the  wind.  The  two  men  looked  at  one  another  in  surprise. 
'Why,  I  believe  it  is  your  little  water-carrier,  Sesemann," 
said  the  doctor. 

"  Child,  what  does  this  mean?  "  said  Herr  Sesemann.  "  What 
did  you  want?  why  did  you  come  down  here?" 

White  with  terror,  and  hardly  able  to  make  her  voice  heard, 
Heidi  answered,  "I  don't  know." 

[190] 


©DM?K 


The   moonlight  was  shining  in  through  the  open  door  and  fell   on  a 
white  figure  standing  motionless  in  the  doorway.     (Page  190) 


A  GHOST  IN  THE  HOUSE 

But  now  the  doctor  stepped  forward.  "This  is  a  matter  for 
me  to  see  to,  Sesemann ;  go  back  to  your  chair.  I  must  take  the 
child  upstairs  to  her  bed." 

And  with  that  he  put  down  his  revolver  and  gently  taking 
the  child  by  the  hand  led  her  upstairs.  "Don't  be  frightened," 
he  said  as  they  went  up  side  by  side,  "it's  nothing  to  be 
frightened  about;  it's  all  right,  only  just  go  quietly." 

On  reaching  Heidi's  room  the  doctor  put  the  candle  down  on 
the  table,  and  taking  Heidi  up  in  his  arms  laid  her  on  the  bed 
and  carefully  covered  her  over.  Then  he  sat  down  beside  her 
and  waited  until  Heidi  had  grown  quieter  and  no  longer  trem- 
bled so  violently.  He  took  her  hand  and  said  in  a  kind,  soothing 
voice,  "There,  now  you  feel  better,  and  now  tell  me  where  you 
were  wanting  to  go  to?" 

"I  did  not  want  to  go  anywhere,"  said  Heidi.  "I  did  not 
know  I  went  downstairs,  but  all  at  once  I  was  there." 

"I  see,  and  had  you  been  dreaming,  so  that  you  seemed  to  see 
and  hear  something  very  distinctly?" 

"Yes,  I  dream  every  night,  and  always  about  the  same 
things.  I  think  I  am  back  with  the  grandfather  and  I  hear  the 
sound  in  the  fir  trees  outside,  and  I  see  the  stars  shining  so 
brightly,  and  then  I  open  the  door  quickly  and  run  out,  and  it  is 
all  so  beautiful!  But  when  I  wake  I  am  still  in  Frankfurt." 
And  Heidi  struggled  as  she  spoke  to  keep  back  the  sobs  which 
seemed  to  choke  her. 

"And  have  you  no  pain  anywhere?  no  pain  in  your  head  or 
back?" 

"No,  only  a  feeling  as  if  there  were  a  great  stone  weighing  on 
me  here." 

[191] 


HEIDI 

"As  if  you  had  eaten  something  that  would  not  go  down." 

"No,  not  like  that;  something  heavy  as  if  I  wanted  to  cry 
very  much." 

"I  see,  and  then  do  you  have  a  good  cry?" 

"Oh,  no,  I  mustn't;  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  forbade  me  to 
cry." 

"  So  you  swallow  it  all  down,  I  suppose.  Are  you  happy  here 
in  Frankfurt?" 

"Yes,"  was  the  low  answer;  but  it  sounded  more  like  "No." 

"And  where  did  you  live  with  your  grandfather?" 

"Up  on  the  mountain." 

"That  wasn't  very  amusing;  rather  dull  at  times,  eh?" 

"No,  no,  it  was  beautiful,  beautiful!"  Heidi  could  go  no 
further;  the  remembrance  of  the  past,  the  excitement  she  had 
just  gone  through,  the  long  suppressed  weeping,  were  too  much 
for  the  child's  strength;  the  tears  began  to  fall  fast,  and  she 
broke  into  violent  weeping. 

The  doctor  stood  up  and  laid  her  head  kindly  down  on  the 
pillow.  "There,  there,  go  on  crying,  it  will  do  you  good,  and 
then  go  to  sleep;  it  will  be  all  right  to-morrow." 

Then  he  left  the  room  and  went  downstairs  to  Herr  Sese- 
mann;  when  he  was  once  more  sitting  in  the  arm-chair  opposite 
his  friend,  "Sesemann,"  he  said,  "let  me  first  tell  you  that 
your  little  charge  is  a  sleep-walker;  she  is  the  ghost  who  has 
nightly  opened  the  front  door  and  put  your  household  into  this 
fever  of  alarm.  Secondly,  the  child  is  consumed  with  home- 
sickness, to  such  an  extent  that  she  is  nearly  a  skeleton  already, 
and  soon  will  be  quite  one;  something  must  be  done  at  once. 
For  the  first  trouble,  due  to  her  over-excited  nerves,  there  is  but 

[192] 


A  GHOST  IN  THE  HOUSE 

one  remedy,  to  send  her  back  to  her  native  mountain  air;  and 
for  the  second  trouble  there  is  also  but  one  cure,  and  that  the 
same.  So  to-morrow  the  child  must  start  for  home;  there  you 
have  my  prescription." 

Herr  Sesemann  had  arisen  and  now  paced  up  and  down  the 
room  in  the  greatest  state  of  concern. 

"What!"  he  exclaimed,  "the  child  a  sleep-walker  and  ill! 
Home-sick,  and  grown  emaciated  in  my  house!  All  this  has 
taken  place  in  my  house  and  no  one  seen  or  known  anything 
about  it!  And  you  mean,  doctor,  that  the  child  who  came  here 
happy  and  healthy,  I  am  to  send  back  to  her  grandfather  a 
miserable  little  skeleton?  I  can't  do  it;  you  cannot  dream  of 
my  doing  such  a  thing!  Take  the  child  in  hand,  do  with  her 
what  you  will,  and  make  her  whole  and  sound,  and  then  she 
shall  go  home;  but  you  must  do  something  first." 

"Sesemann,"  replied  the  doctor,  "consider  what  you  are 
doing!  This  illness  of  the  child's  is  not  one  to  be  cured  with  pills 
and  powders.  The  child  has  not  a  tough  constitution,  but  if 
you  send  her  back  at  once  she  may  recover  in  the  mountain  air, 
if  not — you  would  rather  she  went  back  ill  than  not  at  all?" 

Herr  Sesemann  stood  still;  the  doctor's  words  were  a  shock 
to  him. 

"If  you  put  it  so,  doctor,  there  is  assuredly  only  one  way — 
and  the  thing  must  be  seen  to  at  once."  And  then  he  and  the 
doctor  walked  up  and  down  for  a  while  arranging  what  to  do, 
after  which  the  doctor  said  good-bye,  for  some  time  had  passed 
since  they  first  sat  down  together,  and  as  the  master  himself 
opened  the  hall  door  this  time  the  morning  light  shone  down 
through  it  into  the  house. 

[193] 


CHAPTER  XIII 
A  SUMMER  EVENING  ON  THE  MOUNTAIN 

HERR  SESEMANN,  a  good  deal  irritated  and  excited, 
went  quickly  upstairs  and  along  the  passage  to  Frau- 
lein  Rottenmeier's  room,  and  there  gave  such  an 
unusually  loud  knock  at  the  door  that  the  lady  awoke  from 
sleep  with  a  cry  of  alarm.  She  heard  the  master  of  the  house 
calling  to  her  from  the  other  side  of  the  door,  "Please  make 
haste  and  come  down  to  me  in  the  dining-room;  we  must  make 
ready  for  a  journey  at  once."  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  looked  at 
her  clock;  it  was  just  half -past  four;  she  had  never  got  up  so 
early  before  in  her  life.  What  could  have  happened?  What 
with  her  curiosity  and  excitement  she  took  hold  of  everything 
the  wrong  way,  and  it  was  a  case  with  her  of  more  haste  less 
speed,  for  she  kept  on  searching  everywhere  for  garments 
which  she  had  already  put  on. 

Meanwhile  Herr  Sesemann  had  gone  on  farther  and  rung  the 
bells  in  turn  which  communicated  with  the  several  servants' 
rooms,  causing  frightened  figures  to  leap  out  of  bed,  convinced 
that  the  ghost  had  attacked  the  master  and  that  he  was  calling 
for  help.  One  by  one  they  made  their  appearance  in  the  dining- 
room,  each  with  a  more  terrified  face  than  the  last,  and  were 
astonished  to  see  their  master  walking  up  and  down,  looking 
well  and  cheerful,  and  with  no  appearance  of  having  had  an 
encounter  with  a  ghost.  John  was  sent  off  without  delay  to  get 
the  horses  and  carriage  ready;  Tinette  was  ordered  to  wake 

[  197  ] 


HEIDI 

Heidi  and  get  her  dressed  for  a  journey;  Sebastian  was  hurried 
off  to  the  house  where  Dete  was  in  service  to  bring  the  latter 
round.  Then  Fraulein  Rottenmeier,  having  at  last  accom- 
plished her  toilet,  came  down,  with  everything  well  adjusted 
about  her  except  her  cap,  which  was  put  on  hind  side  before. 
Herr  Sesemann  put  down  her  flurried  appearance  to  the  early 
awakening  he  had  caused  her,  and  began  without  delay  to  give 
her  directions.  She  was  to  get  out  a  trunk  at  once  and  pack  up 
all  the  things  belonging  to  the  Swiss  child — for  so  he  usually 
spoke  of  Heidi,  being  unaccustomed  to  her  name — and  a  good 
part  of  Clara's  clothes  as  well,  so  that  the  child  might  take 
home  proper  apparel;  but  everything  was  to  be  done  immedi- 
ately, as  there  was  no  time  for  consideration. 

Fraulein  Rottenmeier  stobd  as  if  rooted  to  the  spot  and 
stared  in  astonishment  at  Herr  Sesemann.  She  had  quite  ex- 
pected a  long  and  private  account  of  some  terrible  ghostly 
experience  of  his  during  the  night,  which  she  would  have 
enjoyed  hearing  about  in  the  broad  daylight.  Instead  of  this 
there  were  these  prosaic  and  troublesome  directions,  which 
were  so  unexpected  that  she  took  some  time  to  get  over  her 
surprise  and  disappointment,  and  continued  standing  await- 
ing further  explanation. 

But  Herr  Sesemann  had  no  thought  or  time  for  explanations 
and  left  her  standing  there  while  he  went  to  speak  to  Clara. 
As  he  anticipated,  the  unusual  commotion  in  the  house  had 
disturbed  her,  and  she  was  lying  and  listening  and  wondering 
what  had  happened.  So  he  sat  down  and  told  her  everything 
that  had  occurred  during  the  past  night,  and  explained  that 
the  doctor  had  given  his  verdict  and  pronounced  Heidi  to  be 

[  198  ] 


A  SUMMER  EVENING  ON  THE  MOUNTAIN 

in  a  very  highly  strung  state,  so  that  her  nightly  wanderings 
might  gradually  lead  her  farther  and  farther,  perhaps  even  on  to 
the  roof,  which,  of  course,  would  be  very  dangerous  for  her.  And 
so  they  had  decided  to  send  her  home  at  once,  as  he  did  not  like 
to  take  the  responsibility  of  her  remaining,  and  Clara  would  see 
for  herself  that  it  was  the  only  thing  to  do.  Clara  was  very 
much  distressed,  and  at  first  made  all  kinds  of  suggestions  for 
keeping  Heidi  with  her;  but  her  father  was  firm,  and  promised 
her,  if  she  would  be  reasonable  and  make  no  further  fuss,  that 
he  would  take  her  to  Switzerland  next  summer.  So  Clara  gave 
in  to  the  inevitable,  only  stipulating  that  the  box  might  be 
brought  into  her  room  to  be  packed,  so  that  she  might  add 
whatever  she  liked,  and  her  father  was  only  too  pleased  to  let 
her  provide  a  nice  outfit  for  the  child.  Meanwhile  Dete  had 
arrived  and  was  waiting  in  the  hall,  wondering  what  extra- 
ordinary event  had  come  to  pass  for  her  to  be  sent  for  at  such 
an  unusual  hour.  Herr  Sesemann  informed  her  of  the  state 
Heidi  was  in,  and  that  he  wished  her  that  very  day  to  take 
her  home.  Dete  was  greatly  disappointed,  for  she  had  not  ex- 
pected such  a  piece  of  news.  She  remembered  Uncle's  last 
words,  that  he  never  wished  to  set  eyes  on  her  again,  and  it 
seemed  to  her  that  to  take  back  the  child  to  him,  after  having 
left  it  with  him  once  and  then  taken  it  away  again,  was  not  a 
safe  or  wise  thing  for  her  to  do.  So  she  excused  herself  to  Herr 
Sesemann  with  her  usual  flow  of  words;  to-day  and  to-morrow 
it  would  be  quite  impossible  for  her  to  take  the  journey,  and 
there  was  so  much  to  do  that  she  doubted  if  she  could  get  off 
on  any  of  the  following  days.  Herr  Sesemann  understood  that 
she  was  unwilling  to  go  at  all,  and  so  dismissed  her.   Then  he 

[  199  ] 


HEIDI 

sent  for  Sebastian  and  told  him  to  make  ready  to  start;  he  was 
to  travel  with  the  child  as  far  as  Basle  that  day,  and  the  next 
day  take  her  home.  He  would  give  him  a  letter  to  carry  to  the 
grandfather,  which  would  explain  everything,  and  he  himself 
could  come  back  by  return. 

"But  there  is  one  thing  in  particular  which  I  wish  you  to 
look  after,"  said  Herr  Sesemann  in  conclusion,  "and  be  sure 
you  attend  to  what  I  say.  I  know  the  people  of  this  hotel  in 
Basle,  the  name  of  which  I  give  you  on  this  card.  They  will  see 
to  providing  rooms  for  the  child  and  you.  When  there,  go  at 
once  into  the  child's  room  and  see  that  the  windows  are  all 
firmly  fastened  so  that  they  cannot  be  easily  opened.  After  the 
child  is  in  bed,  lock  the  door  of  her  room  on  the  outside,  for  the 
child  walks  in  her  sleep  and  might  run  into  danger  in  a  strange 
house  if  she  went  wandering  downstairs  and  tried  to  open  the 
front  door;  so  you  understand?  " 

"Oh!  then  that  was  it?"  exclaimed  Sebastian,  for  now  a 
light  was  thrown  on  the  ghostly  visitations. 

"Yes,  that  was  it!  and  you  are  a  coward,  and  you  may  tell 
John  he  is  the  same,  and  the  whole  household  a  pack  of  idiots." 
And  with  this  Herr  Sesemann  went  off  to  his  study  to  write  a 
letter  to  Aim-Uncle. 

Sebastian  remained  standing,  feeling  rather  foolish.  "If 
only  I  had  not  let  that  fool  of  a  John  drag  me  back  into  the 
room,  and  had  gone  after  the  little  white  figure,  which  I  should 
do  certainly  if  I  saw  it  now! "  he  kept  on  saying  to  himself;  but 
just  now  every  corner  of  the  room  was  clearly  visible  in  the 
daylight. 

Meanwhile  Heidi  was  standing  expectantly  dressed  in  her 

[200] 


A  SUMMER  EVENING  ON  THE  MOUNTAIN 

Sunday  frock  waiting  to  see  what  would  happen  next,  for  Tin- 
ette  had  only  woke  her  up  with  a  shake  and  put  on  her  clothes 
without  a  word  of  explanation.  The  little  uneducated  child 
was  far  too  much  beneath  her  for  Tinette  to  speak  to. 

Herr  Sesemann  went  back  to  the  dining-room  with  the  letter; 
breakfast  was  now  ready,  and  he  asked  "Where  is  the  child?  " 

Heidi  was  fetched,  and  as  she  walked  up  to  him  to  say 
"Good-morning,"  he  looked  inquiringly  into  her  face  and  said, 
"Well,  what  do  you  say  to  this  little  one?" 

Heidi  looked  at  him  in  perplexity. 

"Why,  you  don't  know  anything  about  it,"  I  see,  laughed 
Herr  Sesemann.  "  You  are  going  home  to-day,  going  at  once." 

"Home,"  murmured  Heidi  in  a  low  voice,  turning  pale;  she 
was  so  overcome  that  for  a  moment  or  two  she  could  hardly 
breathe. 

"  Don 't  you  want  to  hear  more  about  it?  " 

"Oh,  yes,  yes!"  exclaimed  Heidi,  her  face  now  rosy  with 
delight. 

"All  right,  then,"  said  Herr  Sesemann  as  he  sat  down  and 
made  her  a  sign  to  do  the  same,  "  but  now  make  a  good  break- 
fast, and  then  off  you  go  in  the  carriage." 

But  Heidi  could  not  swallow  a  morsel  though  she  tried  to  do 
what  she  was  told;  she  was  in  such  a  state  of  excitement  that 
she  hardly  knew  if  she  was  awake  or  dreaming,  or  if  she  would 
again  open  her  eyes  to  find  herself  in  her  nightgown  at  the 
front  door. 

"Tell  Sebastian  to  take  plenty  of  provisions  with  him," 
Herr  Sesemann  called  out  to  Fraulein  Rottenmeier,  who  just 
then  came  into  the  room;  "the  child  can't  eat  anything  now, 

[201] 


HEIDI 

which  is  quite  natural.  Now  run  up  to  Clara  and  stay  with  her 
till  the  carriage  comes  round,"  he  added  kindly,  turning  to 
Heidi. 

Heidi  had  been  longing  for  this,  and  ran  quickly  upstairs. 
An  immense  trunk  was  standing  open  in  the  middle  of  the 
room. 

"Come  along,  Heidi,"  cried  Clara,  as  she  entered;  "see  all 
the  things  I  have  had  put  in  for  you — aren't  you  pleased?  " 

And  she  ran  over  a  list  of  things,  dresses  and  aprons  and 
handkerchiefs,  and  all  kinds  of  working  materials.  "And  look 
here,"  she  added,  as  she  triumphantly  held  up  a  basket. 
Heidi  peeped  in  and  jumped  for  joy,  for  inside  it  were  twelve 
beautiful  round  white  rolls,  all  for  grandmother.  In  their  de- 
light the  children  forgot  that  the  time  had  come  for  them  to 
separate,  and  when  some  one  called  out,  "The  carriage  is 
here,"  there  was  no  time  for  grieving. 

Heidi  ran  to  her  room  to  fetch  her  darling  book;  she  knew  no 
one  could  have  packed  that,  as  it  lay  under  her  pillow,  for 
Heidi  had  kept  it  by  her  night  and  day.  This  was  put  in  the 
basket  with  the  rolls.  Then  she  opened  her  wardrobe  to  look 
for  another  treasure,  which  perhaps  no  one  would  have  thought 
of  packing — and  she  was  right — the  old  red  shawl  had  been  left 
behind,  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  not  considering  it  worth  putting 
in  with  the  other  things.  Heidi  wrapped  it  round  something 
else  which  she  laid  on  the  top  of  the  basket,  so  that  the  red 
package  was  quite  conspicuous.  Then  she  put  on  her  pretty 
hat  and  left  the  room.  The  children  could  not  spend  much 
time  over  their  farewells,  for  Herr  Sesemann  was  waiting  to  put 
Heidi  in  the  carriage.  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  was  waiting  at  the 

[202] 


A  SUMMER  EVENING  ON  THE  MOUNTAIN 

top  of  the  stairs  to  say  good-bye  to  her.  When  she  caught  sight 
of  the  strange  little  red  bundle,  she  took  it  out  of  the  basket  and 
threw  it  on  the  ground.  "No,  no,  Adelaide,"  she  exclaimed, 
"you  cannot  leave  the  house  with  that  thing.  What  can  you 
possibly  want  with  it!"  And  then  she  said  good-bye  to  the 
child.  Heidi  did  not  dare  take  up  her  little  bundle,  but  she 
gave  the  master  of  the  house  an  imploring  look,  as  if  her  great- 
est treasure  had  been  taken  from  her. 

"No,  no,"  said  Herr  Sesemann  in  a  very  decided  voice,  "the 
child  shall  take  home  with  her  whatever  she  likes,  kittens  and 
tortoises,  if  it  pleases  her;  we  need  not  put  ourselves  out  about 
that,  Fraulein  Rottenmeier." 

Heidi  quickly  picked  up  her  bundle,  with  a  look  of  joy  and 
gratitude.  As  she  stood  by  the  carriage  door,  Herr  Sesemann 
gave  her  his  hand  and  said  he  hoped  she  would  remember  him 
and  Clara.  He  wished  her  a  happy  journey,  and  Heidi  thanked 
him  for  all  his  kindness,  and  added,  "And  please  say  good-bye 
to  the  doctor  for  me  and  give  him  many,  many  thanks."  For 
she  had  not  forgotten  that  he  had  said  to  her  the  night  before, 
"It  will  be  all  right  to-morrow,"  and  she  rightly  divined  that  he 
had  helped  to  make  it  so  for  her.  Heidi  was  now  lifted  into  the 
carriage,  and  then  the  basket  and  the  provisions  were  put  in, 
and  finally  Sebastian  took  his  place.  Then  Herr  Sesemann 
called  out  once  more,  "A  pleasant  journey  to  you,"  and  the 
carriage  rolled  away. 

Heidi  was  soon  sitting  in  the  railway  carriage,  holding  her 
basket  tightly  on  her  lap;  she  would  not  let  it  out  of  her  hands 
for  a  moment,  for  it  contained  the  delicious  rolls  for  grand- 
mother; so  she  must  keep  it  carefully,  and  even  peep  inside  it 

[203] 


HEIDI 

from  time  to  time  to  enjoy  the  sight  of  them.  For  many 
hours  she  sat  as  still  as  a  mouse;  only  now  was  she  beginning 
to  realize  that  she  was  going  home  to  the  grandfather,  the 
mountain,  the  grandmother,  and  Peter,  and  pictures  of  all  she 
was  going  to  see  again  rose  one  by  one  before  her  eyes;  she 
thought  of  how  everything  would  look  at  home,  but  this 
brought  other  thoughts  to  her  mind,  and  all  of  a  sudden  she 
said  anxiously,  "Sebastian,  are  you  sure  that  grandmother  on 
the  mountain  is  not  dead?" 

"No,  no,"  said  Sebastian,  wishing  to  soothe  her,  "we  will 
hope  not;   she  is  sure  to  be  alive  still." 

Then  Heidi  fell  back  on  her  own  thoughts  again.  Now  and 
then  she  looked  inside  the  basket,  for  the  thing  she  looked 
forward  to  most  was  laying  all  the  rolls  out  on  grandmother's 
table.  After  a  long  silence  she  spoke  again,  "If  only  we  could 
know  for  certain  that  grandmother  is  alive!" 

"Yes,  yes,"  said  Sebastian,  half  asleep;  "she  is  sure  to  be 
alive,  there  is  no  reason  why  she  should  be  dead." 

After  a  while  sleep  fell  on  Heidi  too,  and  after  her  disturbed 
night  and  early  rising  she  slept  so  soundly  that  she  did  not 
wake  till  Sebastian  shook  her  by  the  arm  and  called  to  her, 
"Wake  up,  wake  up!  we  shall  have  to  get  out  directly;  we  are 
just  in  Basle!" 

There  was  a  further  railway  journey  of  many  hours  the  next 
day.  Heidi  again  sat  with  her  basket  on  her  knee,  for  she 
would  not  have  given  it  up  to  Sebastian  on  any  consideration; 
to-day  she  never  even  opened  her  mouth,  for  her  excitement, 
which  increased  with  every  mile  of  the  journey,  kept  her 
speechless.   All  of  a  sudden,  before  Heidi  expected  it,  a  voice 

[204  ] 


A  SUMMER  EVENING  ON  THE  MOUNTAIN 

called  out,  "Mayenfeld."  She  and  Sebastian  both  jumped  up, 
the  latter  also  taken  by  surprise.  In  another  minute  they  were 
both  standing  on  the  platform  with  Heidi's  trunk,  and  the  train 
was  steaming  away  down  the  valley.  Sebastian  looked  after  it 
regretfully,  for  he  preferred  the  easier  mode  of  traveling  to  a 
wearisome  climb  on  foot,  especially  as  there  was  danger  no 
doubt  as  well  as  fatigue  in  a  country  like  this,  where,  according 
to  Sebastian's  idea,  everything  and  everybody  were  half  sav- 
age. He  therefore  looked  cautiously  to  either  side  to  see  who 
was  a  likely  person  to  ask  the  safest  way  to  Dorfli. 

Just  outside  the  station  he  saw  a  shabby -looking  little  cart 
and  horse  which  a  broad-shouldered  man  was  loading  with 
heavy  sacks  that  had  been  brought  by  the  train,  so  he  went  up 
to  him  and  asked  which  was  the  safest  way  to  get  to  Dorfli. 

"All  the  roads  about  here  are  safe,"  was  the  curt  reply. 

So  Sebastian  altered  his  question  and  asked  which  was  the 
best  way  to  avoid  falling  over  the  precipice,  and  also  how  a  box 
could  be  conveyed  to  Dorfli.  The  man  looked  at  the  box, 
weighing  it  with  his  eye,  and  then  volunteered  if  it  was  not  too 
heavy  to  take  it  on  his  own  cart,  as  he  was  driving  to  Dorfli. 
After  some  little  interchange  of  words  it  was  finally  agreed  that 
the  man  should  take  both  the  child  and  the  box  to  Dorfli,  and 
there  find  some  one  who  could  be  sent  on  with  Heidi  up  the 
mountain. 

"I  can  go  by  myself,  I  know  the  way  well  from  Dorfli,"  put 
in  Heidi,  who  had  been  listening  attentively  to  the  conversa- 
tion. Sebastian  was  greatly  relieved  at  not  having  to  do  any 
mountain  climbing.  He  drew  Heidi  aside  and  gave  her  a  thick 
rolled  parcel,  and  a  letter  for  her  grandfather;   the  parcel,  he 

[205  ] 


HEIDI 

told  her,  was  a  present  from  Herr  Sesernann,  and  she  must  put 
it  at  the  bottom  of  her  basket  under  the  rolls  and  be  very  care- 
ful not  to  lose  it,  as  Herr  Sesernann  would  be  very  vexed  if  she 
did,  and  never  be  the  same  to  her  again;  so  little  miss  was  to 
think  well  of  what  he  said. 

"I  shall  be  sure  not  to  lose  it,"  said  Heidi  confidently,  and 
she  at  once  put  the  roll  and  the  letter  at  the  bottom  of  her 
basket.  The  trunk  meanwhile  had  been  hoisted  into  the  cart, 
and  now  Sebastian  lifted  Heidi  and  her  basket  on  to  the  high 
seat  and  shook  hands  with  her;  he  then  made  signs  to  her  to 
keep  her  eye  on  the  basket,  for  the  driver  was  standing  near  and 
Sebastian  thought  it  better  to  be  careful,  especially  as  he  knew 
that  he  ought  himself  to  have  seen  the  child  safely  to  her  jour- 
ney's end.  The  driver  now  swung  himself  up  beside  Heidi,  and 
the  cart  rolled  away  in  the  direction  of  the  mountains,  while 
Sebastian,  glad  of  having  no  tiring  and  dangerous  journey  on 
foot  before  him,  sat  down  in  the  station  and  awaited  the  return 
train. 

The  driver  of  the  car  was  the  miller  at  Dorfli  and  was  taking 
home  his  sacks  of  flour.  He  had  never  seen  Heidi,  but  like 
everybody  in  Dorfli  knew  all  about  her.  He  had  known  her 
parents,  and  felt  sure  at  once  that  this  was  the  child  of  whom  he 
had  heard  so  much.  He  began  to  wonder  why  she  had  come 
back,  and  as  they  drove  along  he  entered  into  conversation 
with  her.  "You  are  the  child  who  lived  with  your  grandfather, 
Aim-Uncle,  are  you  not?" 
xes. 

"Didn't  they  treat  you  well  down  there  that  you  have  come 
back  so  soon?" 

[206] 


A  SUMMER  EVENING  ON  THE  MOUNTAIN 

"Yes,  it  was  not  that;  everything  in  Frankfurt  is  as  nice  as 
it  could  be." 

"Then  why  are  you  running  home  again?" 

"Only  because  Herr  Sesemann  gave  me  leave,  or  else  I 
should  not  have  come." 

"If  they  were  willing  to  let  you  stay,  why  did  you  not  re- 
main where  you  were  better  off  than  at  home?" 

"Because  I  would  a  thousand  times  rather  be  with  grand- 
father on  the  mountain  than  anywhere  else  in  the  world." 

"You  will  think  differently  perhaps  when  you  get  back 
there,"  grumbled  the  miller;  and  then  to  himself,  "It's  strange 
of  her,  for  she  must  know  what  it's  like." 

He  began  whistling  and  said  no  more,  while  Heidi  looked 
around  her  and  began  to  tremble  with  excitement,  for  she  knew 
every  tree  along  the  way,  and  there  overhead  were  the  high 
jagged  peaks  of  the  mountain  looking  down  on  her  like  old 
friends.  And  Heidi  nodded  back  to  them,  and  grew  every 
moment  more  wild  with  her  joy  and  longing,  feeling  as  if  she 
must  jump  down  from  the  cart  and  run  with  all  her  might  till 
she  reached  the  top.  But  she  sat  quite  still  and  did  not  move, 
although  inwardly  in  such  agitation.  The  clock  was  striking 
five  as  they  drove  into  Dorfli.  A  crowd  of  women  and  children 
immediately  surrounded  the  cart,  for  the  box  and  the  child 
arriving  with  the  miller  had  excited  the  curiosity  of  everybody 
in  the  neighborhood,  inquisitive  to  know  whence  they  came 
and  whither  they  were  going  and  to  whom  they  belonged.  As 
the  miller  lifted  Heidi  down,  she  said  hastily,  "Thank  you, 
grandfather  will  send  for  the  trunk,"  and  was  just  going  to  run 
off,  when  first  one  and  then  another  of  the  bystanders  caught 

[207] 


HEIDI 

hold  of  her,  each  one  having  a  different  question  to  put  to  her. 
But  Heidi  pushed  her  way  through  them  with  such  an  expres- 
sion of  distress  on  her  face  that  they  were  forced  to  let  her  go. 
"You  see,"  they  said  to  one  another,  "how  frightened  she  is, 
and  no  wonder,"  and  then  they  went  on  to  talk  of  Aim-Uncle, 
how  much  worse  he  had  grown  that  last  year,  never  speaking  a 
word  and  looking  as  if  he  would  like  to  kill  everybody  he  met, 
and  if  the  child  had  anywhere  else  to  go  to  she  certainly  would 
not  run  back  to  the  old  dragon's  den.  But  here  the  miller  inter- 
rupted them,  saying  he  knew  more  about  it  than  they  did,  and 
began  telling  them  how  a  kind  gentleman  had  brought  her  to 
Mayenfeld  and  seen  her  off,  and  had  given  him  his  fare  without 
any  bargaining,  and  extra  money  for  himself;  what  was  more, 
the  child  had  assured  him  that  she  had  had  everything  she 
wanted  where  she  had  been,  and  that  it  was  her  own  wish  to 
return  to  her  grandfather.  This  information  caused  great  sur- 
prise and  was  soon  repeated  all  over  Dorfli,  and  that  evening 
there  was  not  a  house  in  the  place  in  which  the  astounding  news 
was  not  discussed,  of  how  Heidi  had  of  her  own  accord  given  up 
a  luxurious  home  to  return  to  her  grandfather. 

Heidi  climbed  up  the  steep  path  from  Dorfli  as  quickly  as  she 
could;  she  was  obliged,  however,  to  pause  now  and  again  to 
take  breath,  for  the  basket  she  carried  was  rather  heavy,  and 
the  way  got  steeper  as  she  drew  nearer  the  top.  One  thought 
alone  filled  Heidi's  mind,  "Would  she  find  the  grandmother 
sitting  in  her  usual  corner  by  the  spinning-wheel,  was  she  still 
alive?"  At  last  Heidi  caught  sight  of  the  grandmother's  house 
in  the  hollow  of  the  mountain  and  her  heart  began  to  beat;  she 
ran  faster  and  faster  and  her  heart  beat  louder  and  louder — and 

[208] 


A  SUMMER  EVENING  ON  THE  MOUNTAIN 

now  she  had  reached  the  house,  but  she  trembled  so  she  could 
hardly  open  the  door — and  then  she  was  standing  inside,  un- 
able in  her  breathlessness  to  utter  a  sound. 

"Ah,  my  God!"  cried  a  voice  from  the  corner,  "that  was 
how  Heidi  used  to  run  in;  if  only  I  could  have  her  with  me  once 
again!   Who  is  there?" 

"It's  I,  I,  grandmother,"  cried  Heidi  as  she  ran  and  flung 
herself  on  her  knees  beside  the  old  woman,  and  seizing  her 
hands,  clung  to  her,  unable  to  speak  for  joy.  And  the  grand- 
mother herself  could  not  say  a  word  for  some  time,  so  unex- 
pected was  this  happiness;  but  at  last  she  put  out  her  hand  and 
stroked  Heidi's  curly  hair,  and  said,  "Yes,  yes,  that  is  her  hair, 
and  her  voice;  thank  God  that  He  has  granted  my  prayer!" 
And  tears  of  joy  fell  from  the  blind  eyes  on  to  Heidi's  hand. 
"It  is  really  you,  Heidi;  have  you  really  come  back  to  me?" 

"Yes,  grandmother,  I  am  really  here,"  answered  Heidi  in  a 
reassuring  voice.  "  Do  not  cry,  for  I  have  really  come  back  and 
I  am  never  going  away  again,  and  I  shall  come  every  day  to  see 
you,  and  you  won't  have  any  more  hard  bread  to  eat  for  some 
days,  for  look,  look!" 

And  Heidi  took  the  rolls  from  the  basket  and  piled  the  whole 
twelve  up  on  grandmother's  lap. 

"Ah,  child!  child!  what  a  blessing  you  bring  with  you!"  the 
old  woman  exclaimed,  as  she  felt  and  seemed  never  to  come  to 
the  end  of  the  rolls.  "But  you  yourself  are  the  greatest  bless- 
ing, Heidi,"  and  again  she  touched  the  child's  hair  and  passed 
her  hand  over  her  hot  cheeks,  and  said,  "Say  something,  child, 
that  I  may  hear  your  voice." 

Then  Heidi  told  her  how  unhappy  she  had  been,  thinking 

[209] 


HEIDI 

that  the  grandmother  might  die  while  she  was  away  and  would 
never  have  her  white  rolls,  and  that  then  she  would  never, 
never  see  her  again. 

Peter's  mother  now  came  in  and  stood  for  a  moment  over- 
come with  astonishment.  "Why,  it's  Heidi,"  she  exclaimed, 
"  and  yet  can  it  be?  " 

Heidi  stood  up,  and  Brigitta  now  could  not  say  enough  in  her 
admiration  of  the  child's  dress  and  appearance;  she  walked 
round  her,  exclaiming  all  the  while,  "Grandmother,  if  you 
could  only  see  her,  and  see  what  a  pretty  frock  she  has  on;  you 
would  hardly  know  her  again.  And  the  hat  with  the  feather  in 
it  is  yours  too,  I  suppose?  Put  it  on  that  I  may  see  how  you 
look  in  it?" 

"No,  I  would  rather  not,"  replied  Heidi  firmly.  "You  can 
have  it  if  you  like;  I  do  not  want  it;  I  have  my  own  still." 
And  Heidi  so  saying  undid  her  red  bundle  and  took  out  her  own 
old  hat,  which  had  become  a  little  more  battered  still  during  the 
journey.  But  this  was  no  trouble  to  Heidi;  she  had  not  for- 
gotten how  her  grandfather  had  called  out  to  Dete  that  he 
never  wished  to  see  her  and  her  hat  and  feathers  again,  and  this 
was  the  reason  she  had  so  anxiously  preserved  her  old  hat,  for 
she  had  never  ceased  to  think  about  going  home  to  her  grand- 
father. But  Brigitta  told  her  not  to  be  so  foolish  as  to  give  it 
away;  she  would  not  think  of  taking  such  a  beautiful  hat;  if 
Heidi  did  not  want  to  wear  it  she  might  sell  it  to  the  school- 
master's daughter  in  Dbrfli  and  get  a  good  deal  of  money  for  it. 
But  Heidi  stuck  to  her  intention  and  hid  the  hat  quietly  in  a 
corner  behind  the  grandmother's  chair.  Then  she  took  off  her 
pretty  dress  and  put  her  red  shawl  on  over  her  under-petticoat, 

[  210  ] 


A  SUMMER  EVENING  ON  THE  MOUNTAIN 

which  left  her  arms  bare;  and  now  she  clasped  the  old  woman's 
hand.  "I  must  go  home  to  grandfather,"  she  said,  "but  to- 
morrow I  shall  come  again.   Good-night,  grandmother." 

"Yes,  come  again,  be  sure  you  come  again  to-morrow," 
begged  the  grandmother,  as  she  pressed  Heidi's  hands  in  hers, 
unwilling  to  let  her  go. 

"  Why  have  you  taken  off  that  pretty  dress?  "  asked  Brigitta. 

"Because  I  would  rather  go  home  to  grandfather  as  I  am  or 
else  perhaps  he  would  not  know  me;  you  hardly  did  at  first." 

Brigitta  went  with  her  to  the  door,  and  there  said  in  rather  a 
mysterious  voice,  "You  might  have  kept  on  your  dress,  he 
would  have  known  you  all  right;  but  you  must  be  careful,  for 
Peter  tells  me  that  Aim-Uncle  is  always  now  in  a  bad  temper 
and  never  speaks." 

Heidi  bid  her  good-night  and  continued  her  way  up  the 
mountain,  her  basket  on  her  arm.  All  around  her  the  steep 
green  slopes  shone  bright  in  the  evening  sun,  and  soon  the 
great  gleaming  snowfield  up  above  came  in  sight.  Heidi  was 
obliged  to  keep  on  pausing  to  look  behind  her,  for  the  higher 
peaks  were  behind  her  as  she  climbed.  Suddenly  a  warm  red 
glow  fell  on  the  grass  at  her  feet;  she  looked  back  again — she 
had  not  remembered  how  splendid  it  was,  nor  seen  anything  to 
compare  to  it  in  her  dreams — for  there  the  two  high  mountain 
peaks  rose  into  the  air  like  two  great  flames,  the  whole  snow- 
field  had  turned  crimson,  and  rosy-colored  clouds  floated  in  the 
sky  above.  The  grass  upon  the  mountain-sides  had  turned  to 
gold,  the  rocks  were  all  aglow,  and  the  whole  valley  was  bathed 
in  golden  mist.  And  as  Heidi  stood  gazing  around  her  at  all 
this  splendor  the  tears  ran  down  her  cheeks  for  very  delight  and 

[  211  ] 


HEIDI 

happiness,  and  impulsively  she  put  her  hands  together,  and 
lifting  her  eyes  to  heaven,  thanked  God  aloud  for  having 
brought  her  home,  thanked  Him  that  everything  was  as  beau- 
tiful as  ever,  more  beautiful  even  than  she  had  thought,  and 
that  it  was  all  hers  again  once  more.  And  she  was  so  overflow- 
ing with  joy  and  thankfulness  that  she  could  not  find  words  to 
thank  Him  enough.  Not  until  the  glory  began  to  fade  could  she 
tear  herself  away.  Then  she  ran  on  so  quickly  that  in  a  very 
little  while  she  caught  sight  of  the  tops  of  the  fir  trees  above  the 
hut  roof,  then  the  roof  itself,  and  at  last  the  whole  hut,  and 
there  was  grandfather  sitting  as  in  old  days  smoking  his  pipe, 
and  she  could  see  the  fir  trees  waving  in  the  wind.  Quicker 
and  quicker  went  her  little  feet,  and  before  Aim-Uncle  had 
time  to  see  who  was  coming,  Heidi  had  rushed  up  to  him, 
thrown  down  her  basket  and  flung  her  arms  round  his  neck, 
unable  in  the  excitement  of  seeing  him  again  to  say  more 
than  "  Grandfather !  grandfather!  grandfather ! "  o ver  and  over 
again. 

And  the  old  man  himself  said  nothing.  For  the  first  time  for 
many  years  his  eyes  were  wet,  and  he  had  to  pass  his  hand 
across  them.  Then  he  unloosed  Heidi's  arms,  put  her  on  his 
knee,  and  after  looking  at  her  for  a  moment,  "So  you  have 
come  back  to  me,  Heidi,"  he  said,  "how  is  that?  You  don't 
look  much  of  a  grand  lady.   Did  they  send  you  away?" 

"Oh,  no,  grandfather,"  said  Heidi  eagerly,  "you  must  not 
think  that;  they  were  all  so  kind — Clara,  and  grandmamma, 
and  Herr  Sesemann.  But  you  see,  grandfather,  I  did  not  know 
how  to  bear  myself  till  I  got  home  again  to  you.  I  used  to 
think  I  should  die,  for  I  felt  as  if  I  could  not  breathe;   but  I 

[212] 


A  SUMMER  EVENING  ON  THE  MOUNTAIN 

never  said  anything  because  it  would  have  been  ungrateful. 
And  then  suddenly  one  morning  quite  early  Herr  Sesemann 
said  to  me — but  I  think  it  was  partly  the  doctor's  doing — but 
perhaps  it's  all  in  the  letter — "  and  Heidi  jumped  down  and 
fetched  the  roll  and  the  letter  and  handed  them  both  to  her 
grandfather. 

"That  belongs  to  you,"  said  the  latter,  laying  the  roll  down 
on  the  bench  beside  him.  Then  he  opened  the  letter,  read  it 
through  and  without  a  word  put  it  in  his  pocket. 

"Do  you  think  you  can  still  drink  milk  with  me,  Heidi?"  he 
asked,  taking  the  child  by  the  hand  to  go  into  the  hut.  "But 
bring  your  money  with  you;  you  can  buy  a  bed  and  bed- 
clothes and  dresses  for  a  couple  of  years  with  it." 

"I  am  sure  I  do  not  want  it,"  replied  Heidi.  "I  have  got  a 
bed  already,  and  Clara  has  put  such  a  lot  of  clothes  in  my  box 
that  I  shall  never  want  any  more." 

"Take  it  and  put  it  in  the  cupboard;  you  will  want  it  some 
day  I  have  no  doubt." 

Heidi  obeyed  and  skipped  happily  after  her  grandfather  into 
the  house;  she  ran  into  all  the  corners,  delighted  to  see  every- 
thing again,  and  then  went  up  the  ladder — but  there  she  came 
to  a  pause  and  called  down  in  a  tone  of  surprise  and  distress, 
"Oh,  grandfather,  my  bed's  gone." 

"We  can  soon  make  it  up  again,"  he  answered  her  from  be- 
low. "  I  did  not  know  that  you  were  coming  back ;  come  along 
now  and  have  your  milk." 

Heidi  came  down,  sat  herself  on  her  high  stool  in  the  old 
place,  and  then  taking  up  her  bowl  drank  her  milk  eagerly,  as 
if  she  had  never  come  across  anything  so  delicious,  and  as  she 

[213] 


HEIDI 

put  down  her  bowl,  she  exclaimed,  "Our  milk  tastes  nicer  than 
anything  else  in  the  world,  grandfather." 

A  shrill  whistle  was  heard  outside.  Heidi  darted  out  like  a 
flash  of  lightning.  There  were  the  goats  leaping  and  springing 
among  the  rocks,  with  Peter  in  their  midst.  When  he  caught 
sight  of  Heidi  he  stood  still  with  astonishment  and  gazed 
speechlessly  at  her.  Heidi  called  out,  "Good-evening,  Peter," 
and  then  ran  in  among  the  goats.  "Little  Swan!  Little  Bear! 
do  you  know  me  again?  "  And  the  animals  evidently  recognized 
her  voice  at  once,  for  they  began  rubbing  their  heads  against 
her  and  bleating  loudly  as  if  for  joy,  and  as  she  called  the  other 
goats  by  name  one  after  the  other,  they  all  came  scampering 
towards  her  helter-skelter  and  crowding  round  her.  The  im- 
patient Greenfinch  sprang  into  the  air  and  over  two  of  her 
companions  in  order  to  get  nearer,  and  even  the  shy  little 
Snowflake  butted  the  Great  Turk  out  of  her  way  in  quite  a 
determined  manner,  which  left  him  standing  taken  aback  by 
her  boldness,  and  lifting  his  .beard  in  the  air  as  much  as  to  say, 
You  see  who  I  am. 

Heidi  was  out  of  her  mind  with  delight  at  being  among  all  her 
old  friends  again;  she  flung  her  arms  round  the  pretty  little 
Snowflake,  stroked  the  obstreperous  Greenfinch,  while  she  her- 
self was  thrust  at  from  all  sides  by  the  affectionate  and  confid- 
ing goats;  and  so  at  last  she  got  near  to  where  Peter  was  still 
standing,  not  having  yet  got  over  his  surprise. 

"Come  down,  Peter,"  cried  Heidi,  "and  say  good-evening  to 
me." 

"So  you  are  back  again?"  he  found  words  to  say  at  last,  and 
now  ran  down  and  took  Heidi's  hand  which  she  was  holding 

[214] 


A  SUMMER  EVENING  ON  THE  MOUNTAIN 

out  in  greeting,  and  immediately  put  the  same  question  to  her 
which  he  had  been  in  the  habit  of  doing  in  the  old  days  when 
they  returned  home  in  the  evening,  "Will  you  come  out  with 
me  again  to-morrow?" 

"  Not  to-morrow,  but  the  day  after  perhaps,  for  to-morrow 
I  must  go  down  to  grandmother." 

"I  am  glad  you  are  back,"  said  Peter,  while  his  whole  face 
beamed  with  pleasure,  and  then  he  prepared  to  go  on  with  his 
goats;  but  he  never  had  had  so  much  trouble  with  them  before, 
for  when  at  last,  by  coaxing  and  threats,  he  had  got  them  all 
together,  and  Heidi  had  gone  off  with  an  arm  over  either  head 
of  her  grandfather's  two,  the  whole  flock  suddenly  turned  and 
ran  after  her.  Heidi  had  to  go  inside  the  stall  with  her  two  and 
shut  the  door,  or  Peter  would  never  have  got  home  that  night. 
When  Heidi  went  indoors  after  this  she  found  her  bed  already 
made  up  for  her;  the  hay  had  been  piled  high  for  it  and  smelt 
deliciously,  for  it  had  only  just  been  got  in,  and  the  grand- 
father had  carefully  spread  and  tucked  in  the  clean  sheets. 
It  was  with  a  happy  heart  that  Heidi  lay  down  in  it  that  night, 
and  her  sleep  was  sounder  than  it  had  been  for  a  whole  year 
past.  The  grandfather  got  up  at  least  ten  times  during  the 
night  and  mounted  the  ladder  to  see  if  Heidi  was  all  right  and 
showing  no  signs  of  restlessness,  and  to  feel  that  the  hay  he 
had  stuffed  into  the  round  window  was  keeping  the  moon  from 
shining  too  brightly  upon  her.  But  Heidi  did  not  stir;  she  had 
no  need  now  to  wander  about,  for  the  great  burning  longing  of 
her  heart  was  satisfied;  she  had  seen  the  high  mountains  and 
rocks  alight  in  the  evening  glow,  she  had  heard  the  wind  in  the 
fir  trees,  she  was  at  home  again  on  the  mountain. 

[215] 


CHAPTER  XIV 
SUNDAY  BELLS 

HEIDI  was  standing  under  the  waving  fir  trees  waiting 
for  her  grandfather,  who  was  going  down  with  her  to 
grandmother's,  and  then  on  to  Dorfli  to  fetch  her 
box.  She  was  longing  to  know  how  grandmother  had  enjoyed 
her  white  bread  and  impatient  to  see  and  hear  her  again;  but 
no  time  seemed  weary  to  her  now,  for  she  could  not  listen  long 
enough  to  the  familiar  voice  of  the  trees,  or  drink  in  too  much 
of  the  fragrance  wafted  to  her  from  the  green  pastures  where 
the  golden-headed  flowers  were  glowing  in  the  sun,  a  very 
feast  to  her  eyes.  The  grandfather  came  out,  gave  a  look  round, 
and  then  called  to  her  in  a  cheerful  voice,  "  Well,  now  we  can 
be  off." 

It  was  Saturday,  a  day  when  Aim-Uncle  made  everything 
clean  and  tidy  inside  and  outside  the  house;  he  had  devoted 
his  morning  to  this  work  so  as  to  be  able  to  accompany  Heidi 
in  the  afternoon,  and  the  whole  place  was  now  as  spick  and 
span  as  he  liked  to  see  it.  They  parted  at  the  grandmother's 
cottage  and  Heidi  ran  in.  The  grandmother  had  heard  her 
steps  approaching  and  greeted  her  as  she  crossed  the  threshold, 
"Is  it  you,  child?  Have  you  come  again?  " 

Then  she  took  hold  of  Heidi's  hand  and  held  it  fast  in  her 
own,  for  she  still  seemed  to  fear  that  the  child  might  be  torn 
from  her  again.  And  now  she  had  to  tell  Heidi  how  much  she 
had  enjoyed  the  white  bread,  and  how  much  stronger  she  felt 

[219] 


HEIDI 

already  for  having  been  able  to  eat  it,  and  then  Peter's  mother 
went  on  and  said  she  was  sure  that  if  her  mother  could  eat 
like  that  for  a  week  she  would  get  back  some  of  her  strength, 
but  she  was  so  afraid  of  coming  to  the  end  of  the  rolls,  that  she 
had  only  eaten  one  as  yet.  Heidi  listened  to  all  Brigitta  said, 
and  sat  thinking  for  a  while.  Then  she  suddenly  thought  of  a 
way. 

"I  know,  grandmother,  what  I  will  do,"  she  said  eagerly, 
"  I  will  write  to  Clara,  and  she  will  send  me  as  many  rolls  again, 
if  not  twice  as  many  as  you  have  already,  for  I  had  ever  such  a 
large  heap  in  the  wardrobe,  and  when  they  were  all  taken  away 
she  promised  to  give  me  as  many  back,  and  she  would  do  so 
I  am  sure." 

"That  is  a  good  idea,"  said  Brigitta;  "but  then,  they  would 
get  hard  and  stale.  The  baker  in  Dorfli  makes  the  white  rolls, 
and  if  we  could  get  some  of  those  he  has  over  now  and  then — 
but  I  can  only  just  manage  to  pay  for  the  black  bread." 

A  further  bright  thought  came  to  Heidi,  and  with  a  look  of 
joy,  "Oh,  I  have  lots  of  money,  grandmother,"  she  cried  glee- 
fully, skipping  about  the  room  in  her  delight,  "and  I  know 
now  what  I  will  do  with  it.  You  must  have  a  fresh  white  roll 
every  day,  and  two  on  Sunday,  and  Peter  can  bring  them  up 
from  Dorfli." 

"No,  no,  child!"  answered  the  grandmother,  "I  cannot  let 
you  do  that;  the  money  was  not  given  to  you  for  that  purpose; 
you  must  give  it  to  your  grandfather,  and  he  will  tell  you  how 
you  are  to  spend  it." 

But  Heidi  was  not  to  be  hindered  in  her  kind  intentions,  and 
she  continued  to  jump  about,  saying  over  and  over  again  in  a 

[  220  ] 


SUNDAY  BELLS 

tone  of  exultation,  "Now,  grandmother  can  have  a  roll  every 
day  and  will  grow  quite  strong  again — and,  Oh,  grandmother," 
she  suddenly  exclaimed  with  an  increase  of  jubilation  in  her 
voice,  "if  you  get  strong  everything  will  grow  light  again  for 
you;  perhaps  it's  only  because  you  are  weak  that  it  is  dark." 
The  grandmother  said  nothing,  she  did  not  wish  to  spoil  the 
child's  pleasure.  As  she  went  jumping  about  Heidi  suddenly 
caught  sight  of  the  grandmother's  song  book,  and  another 
happy  idea  struck  her,  "Grandmother,  I  can  also  read  now, 
would  you  like  me  to  read  you  one  of  your  hymns  from  your 
old  book?" 

"Oh,  yes,"  said  the  grandmother,  surprised  and  delighted; 
" but  can  you  really  read,  child,  really?" 

Heidi  had  climbed  on  to  a  chair  and  had  already  lifted  down 
the  book,  bringing  a  cloud  of  dust  with  it,  for  it  had  lain  un- 
touched on  the  shelf  for  a  long  time.  Heidi  wiped  it,  sat  her- 
self down  on  a  stool  beside  the  old  woman,  and  asked  her  which 
hymn  she  should  read. 

"  What  you  like,  child,  what  you  like,"  and  the  grandmother 
pushed  her  spinning-wheel  aside  and  sat  in  eager  expectation 
waiting  for  Heidi  to  begin.  Heidi  turned  over  the  leaves  and 
read  a  line  out  softly  to  herself  here  and  there.  At  last  she  said, 
"Here  is  one  about  the  sun,  grandmother,  I  will  read  you 
that."  And  Heidi  began,  reading  with  more  and  more  warmth 
of  expression  as  she  went  on, — 

The  morning  breaks, 
And  warm  and  bright 
The  earth  lies  still 
In  the  golden  light — 
For  Dawn  has  scattered  the  clouds  of  night. 
[221  ] 


HEIDI 

God's  handiwork 
Is  seen  around, 
Things  great  and  small 
To  His  praise  abound — 
"Where  are  the  signs  of  His  love  not  found? 

All  things  must  pass, 
But  God  shall  still 
With  steadfast  power 
His  will  fulfil- 
Sure  and  unshaken  is  His  will. 

His  saving  grace 
Will  never  fail, 
Though  grief  and  fear 
The  heart  assail — 
O'er  life's  wild  seas  He  will  prevail. 

Joy  shall  be  ours 
In  that  garden  blest, 
WTiere  after  storm 
We  find  our  rest — 
I  wait  in  peace — God's  time  is  best. 

The  grandmother  sat  with  folded  hands  and  a  look  of  inde- 
scribable joy  on  her  face,  such  as  Heidi  had  never  seen  there 
before,  although  at  the  same  time  the  tears  were  running  down 
her  cheeks.  As  Heidi  finished,  she  implored  her,  saying,  "Read 
it  once  again,  child,  just  once  again." 

And  the  child  began  again,  with  as  much  pleasure  in  the 
verses  as  the  grandmother, — 

Joy  shall  be  ours 
In  that  garden  blest, 
W'here  after  storm 
We  find  our  rest — 
I  wait  in  peace — God's  time  is  best. 
[  222  ] 


SUNDAY  BELLS 

"Ah,  Heidi,  that  brings  light  to  the  heart!  What  a  comfort 
you  have  brought  me ! " 

And  the  old  woman  kept  on  repeating  the  glad  words,  while 
Heidi  beamed  with  happiness,  and  she  could  not  take  her  eyes 
away  from  the  grandmother's  face,  which  had  never  looked  like 
that  before.  She  had  no  longer  the  old  troubled  expression, 
but  was  alight  with  peace  and  joy  as  if  she  were  already  look- 
ing with  clear  new  eyes  into  the  garden  of  Paradise. 

Some  one  now  knocked  at  the  window  and  Heidi  looked  up 
and  saw  her  grandfather  beckoning  her  to  come  home  with  him. 
She  promised  the  grandmother  before  leaving  her  that  she 
would  be  with  her  the  next  day,  and  even  if  she  went  out  with 
Peter  she  would  only  spend  half  the  day  with  him,  for  the 
thought  that  she  might  make  it  light  and  happy  again  for  the 
grandmother  gave  her  the  greatest  pleasure,  greater  even  than 
being  out  on  the  sunny  mountain  with  the  flowers  and  goats. 
As  she  was  going  out  Brigitta  ran  to  her  with  the  frock  and  hat 
she  had  left.  Heidi  put  the  dress  over  her  arm,  for,  as  she 
thought  to  herself,  the  grandfather  had  seen  that  before,  but 
she  obstinately  refused  to  take  back  the  hat;  Brigitta  could 
keep  it,  for  she  should  never  put  it  on  her  head  again.  Heidi  was 
so  full  of  her  morning's  doings  that  she  began  at  once  to  tell 
her  grandfather  all  about  them :  how  the  white  bread  could  be 
fetched  every  day  from  Dorfli  if  there  was  money  for  it,  and 
how  the  grandmother  had  all  at  once  grown  stronger  and  hap- 
pier, and  light  had  come  to  her.  Then  she  returned  to  the  sub- 
ject of  the  rolls.  "  If  the  grandmother  won't  take  the  money, 
grandfather,  will  you  give  it  all  to  me,  and  I  can  then  give 
Peter  enough  every  day  to  buy  a  roll  and  two  on  Sunday?" 

[223  ] 


HEIDI 

"But  how  about  the  bed?  "  said  her  grandfather.  "It  would 
be  nice  for  you  to  have  a  proper  bed,  and  there  would  then  be 
plenty  for  the  bread." 

But  Heidi  gave  her  grandfather  no  peace  till  he  consented  to 
do  what  she  wanted;  she  slept  a  great  deal  better,  she  said,  on 
her  bed  of  hay  than  on  her  fine  pillowed  bed  in  Frankfurt.  So 
at  last  he  said,  "  The  money  is  yours,  do  what  you  like  with  it; 
you  can  buy  bread  for  grandmother  for  years  to  come  with  it." 

Heidi  shouted  for  joy  at  the  thought  that  grandmother 
would  never  need  any  more  to  eat  hard  black  bread,  and  "  Oh, 
grandfather!"  she  said,  "everything  is  happier  now  than  it  has 
ever  been  in  our  lives  before! "  and  she  sang  and  skipped  along, 
holding  her  grandfather's  hand  as  light-hearted  as  a  bird.  But 
all  at  once  she  grew  quiet  and  said,  "If  God  had  let  me  come 
at  once,  as  I  prayed,  then  everything  would  have  been  differ- 
ent, I  should  only  have  had  a  little  bread  to  bring  to  grand- 
mother, and  I  should  not  have  been  able  to  read,  which  is  such 
a  comfort  to  her;  but  God  has  arranged  it  all  so  much  better 
than  I  knew  how  to;  everything  has  happened  just  as  the  other 
grandmother  said  it  would.  Oh,  how  glad  I  am  that  God  did  not 
let  me  have  at  once  all  I  prayed  and  wept  for!  And  now  I  shall 
always  pray  to  God  as  she  told  me,  and  always  thank  Him,  and 
when  He  does  not  do  anything  I  ask  for  I  shall  think  to  myself, 
It's  just  like  it  was  in  Frankfurt:  God,  I  am  sure,  is  going  to 
do  something  better  still.  So  we  will  pray  every  day,  won't  we, 
grandfather,  and  never  forget  Him  again,  or  else  He  may  for- 
get us. " 

"And  supposing  one  does  forget  Him?  "  said  the  grandfather 
in  a  low  voice. 

[224] 


SUNDAY  BELLS 

"Then  everything  goes  wrong,  for  God  lets  us  then  go  where 
we  like,  and  when  we  get  poor  and  miserable  and  begin  te  cry 
about  it  no  one  pities  us,  but  they  say,  You  ran  away  from 
God,  and  so  God,  who  could  have  helped  you,  left  you  to  your- 
self." 

"That  is  true,  Heidi;  where  did  you  learn  that?  " 
"From  grandmamma;  she  explained  it  all  to  me." 
The  grandfather  walked  on  for  a  little  while  without  speak- 
ing, then  he  said,  as  if  following  his  own  train  of  thought: 
"And  if  it  once  is  so,  it  is  so  always;  no  one  can  go  back,  and 
he  whom  God  has  forgotten,  is  forgotten  for  ever." 

"Oh,  no,  grandfather,  we  can  go  back,  for  grandmamma 
told  me  so,  and  so  it  was  in  the  beautiful  tale  in  my  book — but 
you  have  not  heard  that  yet;  but  we  shall  be  home  directly 
now,  and  then  I  will  read  it  to  you,  and  you  will  see  how  beautiful 
it  is."  And  in  her  eagerness  Heidi  struggled  faster  and  faster 
up  the  steep  ascent,  and  they  were  no  sooner  at  the  top  than 
she  let  go  her  grandfather's  hand  and  ran  into  the  hut.  The 
grandfather  slung  the  basket  off  his  shoulders  in  which  he  had 
brought  up  a  part  of  the  contents  of  the  trunk  which  was  too 
heavy  to  carry  up  as  it  was.  Then  he  sat  down  on  his  seat  and 
began  thinking. 

Heidi  soon  came  running  out  with  her  book  under  her  arm. 
"That's  right,  grandfather,"  she  exclaimed  as  she  saw  he  had 
already  taken  his  seat,  and  in  a  second  she  was  beside  him  and 
had  her  book  open  at  the  particular  tale,  for  she  had  read  it  so 
often  that  the  leaves  fell  open  at  it  of  their  own  accord.  And 
now  in  a  sympathetic  voice  Heidi  began  to  read  of  the  son 
when  he  was  happily  at  home,  and  went  out  into  the  fields  with 

[225] 


HEIDI 

his  father's  flocks,  and  was  dressed  in  a  fine  cloak,  and  stood 
leaning  on  his  shepherd's  staff  watching  as  the  sun  went  down, 
just  as  he  was  to  be  seen  in  the  picture.  But  then  all  at  once  he 
wanted  to  have  his  own  goods  and  money  and  to  be  his  own 
master,  and  so  he  asked  his  father  to  give  him  his  portion,  and 
he  left  his  home  and  went  and  wasted  all  his  substance.  And 
when  he  had  nothing  left  he  hired  himself  out  to  a  master  who 
had  no  flocks  and  fields  like  his  father,  but  only  swine  to  keep; 
and  so  he  was  obliged  to  watch  these,  and  he  only  had  rags  to 
wear  and  a  few  husks  to  eat,  such  as  the  swine  fed  upon.  And 
then  he  thought  of  his  old  happy  life  at  home  and  of  how  kindly 
his  father  had  treated  him  and  how  ungrateful  he  had  been,  and 
he  wept  for  sorrow  and  longing.  And  he  thought  to  himself, 
"I  will  arise  and  go  to  my  father,  and  will  say  to  him,  'Father, 
I  am  not  worthy  to  be  called  thy  son;  make  me  as  one  of  thy 
hired  servants. '  And  when  he  was  yet  a  great  way  off  his 
father  saw  him  .  .  .  Here  Heidi  paused  in  her  reading. 
"What  do  you  think  happens  now,  grandfather?"  she  said. 
"Do  you  think  the  father  is  still  angry  and  will  say  to  him  'I 
told  you  so!'  Well,  listen  now  to  what  comes  next."  His 
father  saw  him,  and  had  compassion,  and  ran,  and  fell  on  his 
neck  and  kissed  him.  And  the  son  said  to  him,  "  Father,  I  have 
sinned  against  heaven  and  in  thy  sight,  and  am  no  more  worthy 
to  be  called  thy  son."  But  the  father  said  to  his  servants, 
"Bring  forth  the  best  robe,  and  put  it  on  him;  and  put  a  ring 
on  his  hand  and  shoes  on  his  feet:  and  bring  hither  the  fatted 
calf  and  kill  it;  and  let  us  eat  and  be  merry,  for  this  my  son 
was  dead  and  is  alive  again;  he  was  lost  and  is  found.    And 

they  began  to  be  merry." 

[  226  ] 


SUNDAY  BELLS 

"Isn't  that  a  beautiful  tale,  grandfather?"  said  Heidi,  as  the 
latter  continued  to  sit  without  speaking,  for  she  had  expected 
him  to  express  pleasure  and  astonishment. 

"You  are  right,  Heidi;  it  is  a  beautiful  tale,"  he  replied,  but 
he  looked  so  grave  as  he  said  it  that  Heidi  grew  silent  herself 
and  sat  looking  quietly  at  her  pictures.  Presently  she  pushed 
her  book  gently  in  front  of  him  and  said,  "  See  how  happy  he  is 
there,"  and  she  pointed  with  her  finger  to  the  figure  of  the 
returned  prodigal,  who  was  standing  by  his  father  clad  in  fresh 
raiment  as  one  of  his  own  sons  again. 

A  few  hours  later,  as  Heidi  lay  fast  asleep  in  her  bed,  the 
grandfather  went  up  the  ladder  and  put  his  lamp  down  near 
her  bed  so  that  the  light  fell  on  the  sleeping  child.  Her  hands 
were  still  folded  as  if  she  had  fallen  asleep  saying  her  prayers, 
an  expression  of  peace  and  trust  lay  on  the  little  face,  and 
something  in  it  seemed  to  appeal  to  the  grandfather,  for  he 
stood  a  long  time  gazing  down  at  her  without  speaking.  At  last 
he  too  folded  his  hands,  and  with  bowed  head  said  in  a  low 
vojce,  "  Father,  I  have  sinned  against  heaven  and  before  Thee 
and  am  not  worthy  to  be  called  Thy  son."  And  two  large  tears 
rolled  down  the  old  man's  cheeks. 

Early  the  next  morning  he  stood  in  front  of  his  hut  and 
gazed  quietly  around  him.  The  fresh  bright  morning  sun  lay 
on  mountain  and  valley.  The  sound  of  a  few  early  bells  rang 
up  from  the  valley,  and  the  birds  were  singing  their  morning 
song  in  the  fir  trees.  He  stepped  back  into  the  hut  and  called 
up,  "  Come  along,  Heidi !  the  sun  is  up !  Put  on  your  best  frock, 
for  we  are  going  to  church  together ! " 

Heidi  was  not  long  getting  ready;  it  was  such  an  unusual 

[  227  ]  * 


HEIDI 

summons  from  her  grandfather  that  she  must  make  haste. 
She  put  on  her  smart  Frankfurt  dress  and  soon  went  down,  but 
when  she  saw  her  grandfather  she  stood  still,  gazing  at  him  in 
astonishment.  "Why,  grandfather! "  she  exclaimed,  "I  never 
saw  you  look  like  that  before !  and  the  coat  with  the  silver  but- 
tons! Oh,  you  do  look  nice  in  your  Sunday  coat! " 

The  old  man  smiled  and  replied,  "And  you  too;  now  come 
along! "  He  took  Heidi's  hand  in  his  and  together  they  walked 
down  the  mountain-side.  The  bells  were  ringing  in  every  direc- 
tion now,  sounding  louder  and  fuller  as  they  neared  the  valley, 
and  Heidi  listened  to  them  with  delight.  "Hark  at  them, 
grandfather!  it's  like  a  great  festival!" 

The  congregation  had  already  assembled  and  the  singing  had 
begun  when  Heidi  and  her  grandfather  entered  the  church  at 
Dorfli  and  sat  down  at  the  back.  But  before  the  hymn  was 
over  every  one  was  nudging  his  neighbor  and  whispering,  "Do 
you  see?  Alm-Uacle  is  in  church! " 

Soon  everybody  in  the  church  knew  of  Aim-Uncle's  presence, 
and  the  women  kept  on  turning  round  to  look  and  quite  lost 
their  place  in  the  singing.  But  everybody  became  more  atten- 
tive when  the  sermon  began,  for  the  preacher  spoke  with  such 
warmth  and  thankfulness  that  those  present  felt  the  effect  of 
his  words,  as  if  some  great  joy  had  come  to  them  all.  At  the 
close  of  the  service  Aim-Uncle  took  Heidi  by  the  hand,  and  on 
leaving  the  church  made  his  way  towards  the  pastor's  house; 
the  rest  of  the  congregation  looked  curiously  after  him,  some 
even  following  to  see  whether  he  went  inside  the  pastor's  house, 
which  he  did.  Then  they  collected  in  groups  and  talked  over 
this  strange  event,  keeping  their  eyes  on  the  pastor's  door, 

[228] 


)DM=K 


The  bells  were   ringing  in  every  direction   now,  sounding  louder  and 
fuller  as  thev  neared  the  valley.     (Page  228) 


SUNDAY  BELLS 

watching  to  see  whether  Aim-Uncle  came  out  looking  angry 
and  quarrelsome,  or  as  if  the  interview  had  been  a  peaceful  one, 
for  they  could  not  imagine  what  had  brought  the  old  man 
down,  and  what  it  all  meant.  Some,  however,  adopted  a  new 
tone  and  expressed  their  opinion  that  Aim-Uncle  was  not  so  bad 
after  all  as  they  thought,  "for  see  how  carefully  he  took  the 
little  one  by  the  hand."  And  others  responded  and  said  they 
had  always  thought  people  had  exaggerated  about  him,  that 
if  he  was  so  downright  bad  he  would  be  afraid  to  go  inside  the 
pastor's  house.  Then  the  miller  put  in  his  word,  "Did  I  not 
tell  you  so  from  the  first?  What  child  is  there  who  would  run 
away  from  where  she  had  plenty  to  eat  and  drink  and  every- 
thing of  the  best,  home  to  a  grandfather  who  was  cruel  and 
unkind,  and  of  whom  she  was  afraid?  " 

And  so  everybody  began  to  feel  quite  friendly  towards  Aim- 
Uncle,  and  the  women  now  came  up  and  related  all  they  had 
been  told  by  Peter  and  his  grandmother,  and  finally  they  all 
stood  there  like  people  waiting  for  an  old  friend  whom  they  had 
long  missed  from  among  their  number. 

Meanwhile  Aim-Uncle  had  gone  into  the  pastor's  house  and 
knocked  at  the  study  door.  The  latter  came  out  and  greeted 
him,  not  as  if  he  was  surprised  to  see  him,  but  as  if  he  had  quite 
expected  to  see  him  there;  he  probably  had  caught  sight  of  the 
old  man  in  church.  He  shook  hands  warmly  with  him,  and  Aim- 
Uncle  was  unable  at  first  to  speak,  for  he  had  not  expected  such 
a  friendly  reception.  At  last  he  collected  himself  and  said,  "I 
have  come  to  ask  you,  pastor,  to  forget  the  words  I  spoke  to 
you  when  you  called  on  me,  and  to  beg  you  not  to  owe  me  ill- 
will  for  having  been  so  obstinately  set  against  your  well-meant 

[  229  ] 


HEIDI 

advice.  You  were  right,  and  I  was  wrong,  but  I  have  now  made 
up  my  mind  to  follow  your  advice  and  to  find  a  place  for  my- 
self at  Dorfli  for  the  winter,  for  the  child  is  not  strong  enough 
to  stand  the  bitter  cold  up  on  the  mountain.  And  if  the  people 
down  here  look  askance  at  me,  as  at  a  person  not  to  be  trusted, 
I  know  it  is  my  own  fault,  and  you  will,  I  am  sure,  not  do  so." 
The  pastor's  kindly  eyes  shone  with  pleasure.  He  pressed 
the  old  man's  hand  in  his,  and  said  with  emotion,  "Neighbor, 
you  went  into  the  right  church  before  you  came  to  mine;  I  am 
greatly  rejoiced.  You  will  not  repent  coming  to  live  with  us 
again;  as  for  myself,  you  will  always  be  welcome  as  a  dear  friend 
and  neighbor,  and  I  look  forward  to  our  spending  many  a 
pleasant  winter  evening  together,  for  I  shall  prize  your  com- 
panionship, and  we  will  find  some  nice  friends  too  for  the  little 
one."  And  the  pastor  laid  his  hand  kindly  on  the  child's  curly 
head  and  took  her  by  the  hand  as  he  walked  to  the  door  with 
the  old  man.  He  did  not  say  good-bye  to  him  till  they  were 
standing  outside,  so  that  all  the  people  standing  about  saw 
him  shake  hands  as  if  parting  reluctantly  from  his  best  friend. 
The  door  had  hardly  shut  behind  him  before  the  whole  congre- 
gation now  came  forward  to  greet  Aim-Uncle,  every  one  striv- 
ing to  be  the  first  to  shake  hands  with  him,  and  so  many  were 
held  out  that  Aim-Uncle  did  not  know  with  which  to  begin;  and 
some  said,  "We  are  so  pleased  to  see  you  among  us  again," 
and  another,  "I  have  long  been  wishing  we  could  have  a  talk 
together  again,"  and  greetings  of  all  kinds  echoed  from  every 
side,  and  when  Aim-Uncle  told  them  he  was  thinking  of  return- 
ing to  his  old  quarters  in  Dorfli  for  the  winter,  there  was  such  a 
general  chorus  of  pleasure  that  any  one  would  have  thought  he 

[  230  ] 


SUNDAY  BELLS 

was  the  most  beloved  person  in  all  Dorfli,  and  that  they  had 
hardly  known  how  to  live  without  him.  Most  of  his  friends  ac- 
companied him  and  Heidi  some  way  up  the  mountain,  and  each 
as  they  bid  him  good-bye  made  him  promise  that  when  he  next 
came  down  he  would  without  fail  come  and  call.  As  the  old 
man  at  last  stood  alone  with  the  child,  watching  their 
retreating  figures,  there  was  a  light  upon  his  face  as  if  re- 
flected from  some  inner  sunshine  of  heart.  Heidi,  looking 
up  at  him  with  her  clear,  steady  eyes,  said,  "Grandfather, 
you  look  nicer  and  nicer  to-day,  I  never  saw  you  quite  like 
that  before. " 

"Do  you  think  so?"  he  answered  with  a  smile.  "Well,  yes, 
Heidi,  I  am  happier  to-day  than  I  deserve,  happier  than  I  had 
thought  possible;  it  is  good  to  be  at  peace  with  God  and  man! 
God  was  good  to  me  when  He  sent  you  to  my  hut. ' ' 

When  they  reached  Peter's  home  the  grandfather  opened  the 
door  and  walked  straight  in.  "Good-morning,  grandmother," 
he  said.  ' '  I  think  we  shall  have  to  do  some  more  patching  up 
before  the  autumn  winds  come." 

"Dear  God,  if  it  is  not  Uncle!"  cried  the  grandmother  in 
pleased  surprise.  "That  I  should  live  to  see  such  a  thing!  and 
now  I  can  thank  you  for  all  that  you  have  done  for  me.  May 
God  reward  you!  may  God  reward  you!"  She  stretched  out  a 
trembling  hand  to  him,  and  when  the  grandfather  shook  it 
warmly,  she  went  on,  still  holding  his,  "And  I  have  something 
on  my  heart  I  want  to  say,  a  prayer  to  make  to  you !  If  I  have 
injured  you  in  any  way,  do  not  punish  me  by  sending  the  child 
away  again  before  I  lie  under  the  grass.  Oh,  you  do  not  know 
what  that  child  is  to  me!"  and  she  clasped  the  child  to  her,  for 

[231] 


HEIDI 

Heidi  had  already  taken  her  usual  stand  close  to  the  grand- 
mother. 

"Have  no  fear,  grandmother,"  said  Uncle,  in  a  reassuring 
voice,  "I  shall  not  punish  either  you  or  myself  by  doing  so. 
We  are  all  together  now,  and  pray  God  we  may  continue  so  for 
long." 

Brigitta  now  drew  the  Uncle  aside  towards  a  corner  of  the 
room  and  showed  him  the  hat  with  the  feathers,  explaining  to 
him  how  it  came  there,  and  adding  that  of  course  she  could  not 
take  such  a  thing  from  a  child. 

But  the  grandfather  looked  towards  Heidi  without  any  dis- 
pleasure of  countenance  and  said,  "The  hat  is  hers,  and  if  she 
does  not  wish  to  wear  it  any  more  she  has  a  right  to  say  so  and 
to  give  it  to  you,  so  take  it,  pray." 

Brigitta  was  highly  delighted  at  this.  "It  is  well  worth  more 
than  ten  shillings!"  she  said  as  she  held  it  up  for  further  admir- 
ation. "And  what  a  blessing  Heidi  has  brought  home  with  her 
from  Frankfurt!  I  have  thought  sometimes  that  it  might  be 
good  to  send  Peter  there  for  a  little  while;  what  do  you  think, 
Uncle?" 

A  merry  look  came  into  the  grandfather's  eye.  He  thought 
it  would  do  Peter  no  harm,  but  he  had  better  wait  for  a  good 
opportunity  before  starting.  At  this  moment  the  subject  of 
their  conversation  himself  rushed  in,  evidently  in  a  great  hurry, 
knocking  his  head  violently  against  the  door  in  his  haste,  so 
that  everything  in  the  room  rattled.  Gasping  and  breathless 
he  stood  still  after  this  and  held  out  a  letter.  This  was  another 
great  event,  for  such  a  thing  had  never  happened  before;  the 
letter  was  addressed  to  Heidi  and  had  been  delivered  at  the 

[232] 


SUNDAY  BELLS 

post-office  in  Dorfli.  They  all  sat  down  round  the  table  to  hear 
what  was  in  it,  for  Heidi  opened  it  at  once  and  read  it  without 
hesitation.  The  letter  was  from  Clara.  The  latter  wrote  that 
the  house  had  been  so  dull  since  Heidi  left  that  she  did  not 
know  how  to  bear  herself,  and  she  had  at  last  persuaded  her 
father  to  take  her  to  the  baths  at  Ragatz  in  the  coming  autumn; 
grandmamma  had  arranged  to  join  them  there,  and  they  both 
were  looking  forward  to  paying  her  and  her  grandfather  a  visit. 
And  grandmamma  sent  a  further  message  to  Heidi  which  was 
that  the  latter  had  done  quite  right  to  take  the  rolls  to  the 
grandmother,  and  so  that  she  might  not  have  to  eat  them  dry, 
she  was  sending  some  coffee,  which  was  already  on  its  way,  and 
grandmamma  hoped  when  she  came  to  the  Aim  in  the  autumn 
that  Heidi  would  take  her  to  see  her  old  friend. 

There  were  exclamations  of  pleasure  and  astonishment  on 
hearing  all  this  news,  and  so  much  to  talk  and  ask  about  that 
even  the  grandfather  did  not  notice  how  the  time  was  passing; 
there  was  general  delight  at  the  thought  of  the  coming  days, 
and  even  more  at  the  meeting  which  had  taken  place  on  this 
one,  and  the  grandmother  spoke  and  said,  "The  happiest  of 
all  things  is  when  an  old  friend  comes  and  greets  us  as  in 
former  times;  the  heart  is  comforted  with  the  assurance  that 
some  day  everything  that  we  have  loved  will  be  given  back  to 
us.  You  will  come  soon  again,  uncle,  and  you  child,  to-mor- 
row?" 

The  old  man  and  Heidi  promised  her  faithfully  to  do  so; 
then  it  was  time  to  break  up  the  party,  and  these  two  went  back 
up  the  mountain.  As  they  had  been  greeted  with  bells  when 
they  made  their  journey  down  in  the  morning,  so  now  they 

[233] 


HEIDI 

were  accompanied  by  the  peaceful  evening  chimes  as  they 
climbed  to  the  hut,  which  had  quite  a  Sunday -like  appearance 
as  it  stood  bathed  in  the  light  of  the  low  evening  sun. 

But  when  grandmamma  comes  next  autumn  there  will  be 
many  fresh  joys  and  surprises  both  for  Heidi  and  grandmother; 
without  doubt  a  proper  bed  will  be  put  up  in  the  hay -loft,  for 
wherever  grandmamma  steps  in,  there  everything  is  soon  in 
right  order,  outside  and  in. 


[234] 


mummsmsmtmtsmaBaBB^s^asaiessssaR 


CHAPTER  XV 
PREPARATIONS  FOR  A  JOURNEY 

THE  kind  doctor  who  had  given  the  order  that  Heidi  was 
to  be  sent  home  was  walking  along  one  of  the  broad 
streets  toward  Herr  Sesemann's  house.  It  was  a  sunny 
September  morning,  so  full  of  light  and  sweetness  that  it 
seemed  as  if  everybody  must  rejoice.  But  the  doctor  walked 
with  his  eyes  fastened  to  the  ground  and  did  not  once  lift 
them  to  the  blue  sky  above  him.  There  was  an  expression  of 
sadness  on  his  face,  formerly  so  cheerful,  and  his  hair  had 
grown  grayer  since  the  spring.  The  doctor  had  had  an  only 
daughter,  who,  after  his  wife's  death,  had  been  his  sole  and  con- 
stant companion,  but  only  a  few  months  previously  death  had 
deprived  him  of  his  dear  child,  and  he  had  never  been  the 
same  bright  and  cheery  man  since. 

Sebastian  opened  the  door  to  him,  greeting  him  with  every 
mark  of  respectful  civility,  for  the  doctor  was  not  only  the 
most  cherished  friend  of  the  master  and  his  daughter,  but  had 
by  his  kindness  won  the  hearts  of  the  whole  household. 

"Everything  as  usual,  Sebastian?"  asked  the  doctor  in  his 
pleasant  voice  as  he  preceded  Sebastian  up  the  stairs. 

"I  am  glad  you  have  come  doctor,"  exclaimed  Herr  Sese- 
mann  as  the  latter  entered.  "We  must  really  have  another 
talk  over  this  Swiss  journey;  do  you  still  adhere  to  your  deci- 
sion, even  though  Clara  is  decidedly  improving  in  health?" 

"My  dear  Sesemann,  I  never  knew  such  a  man  as  you!" 

[237] 


HEIDI 

said  the  doctor  as  he  sat  down  beside  his  friend.  I  really  "  wish 
your  mother  was  here;  everything  would  be  clear  and  straight- 
forward then  and  she  would  soon  put  things  in  right  train. 
You  sent  for  me  three  times  yesterday  only  to  ask  me  the  same 
question,  though  you  know  what  I  think." 

"Yes,  I  know,  it's  enough  to  make  you  out  of  patience  with 
me;  but  you  must  understand,  dear  friend" — and  Herr  Sese- 
mann  laid  his  hand  imploringly  on  the  doctor's  shoulder — 
"  that  I  feel  I  have  not  the  courage  to  refuse  the  child  what  I 
have  been  promising  her  all  along,  and  for  months  now  she  has 
been  living  on  the  thought  of  it  day  and  night.  She  bore  this 
last  bad  attack  so  patiently  because  she  was  buoyed  up  with 
the  hope  that  she  should  soon  start  on  her  Swiss  journey,  and 
see  her  friend  Heidi  again;  and  now  must  I  tell  the  poor  child, 
who  has  to  give  up  so  many  pleasures,  that  this  visit  she  has 
so  long  looked  forward  to  must  also  be  cancelled?  I  really  have 
not  the  courage  to  do  it." 

"You  must  make  up  your  mind  to  it,  Sesemann,"  said  the 
doctor  with  authority,  and  as  his  friend  continued  silent  and 
dejected  he  went  on  after  a  pause,  "  Consider  yourself  how  the 
matter  stands.  Clara  has  not  had  such  a  bad  summer  as  this 
last  one  for  years.  Only  the  worst  results  would  follow  from 
the  fatigue  of  such  a  journey,  and  it  is  out  of  the  question  for 
her.  And  then  we  are  already  in  September,  and  although  it 
may  still  be  warm  and  fine  up  there,  it  may  just  as  likely  be 
already  very  cold.  The  days  too  are  growing  short,  and  as 
Clara  cannot  spend  the  night  up  there  she  would  only  have  a 
two  hours'  visit  at  the  outside.  The  journey  from  Ragatz 
would  take  hours,  for  she  would  have  to  be  carried  up  the 

[238] 


PREPARATIONS  FOR  A  JOURNEY 

mountain  in  a  chair.  In  short,  Sesemann,  it  is  impossible. 
But  I  will  go  in  with  you  and  talk  to  Clara;  she  is  a  reasonable 
child,  and  I  will  tell  her  what  my  plans  are.  Next  May  she 
shall  be  taken  to  the  baths  and  stay  there  for  the  cure  until 
it  is  quite  hot  weather.  Then  she  can  be  carried  up  the 
mountain  from  time  to  time,  and  when  she  is  stronger  she 
will  enjoy  these  excursions  far  more  than  she  would  now. 
Understand,  Sesemann,  that  if  we  want  to  give  the  child  a 
chance  of  recovery  we  must  use  the  utmost  care  and  watch- 
fulness." 

Herr  Sesemann,  who  had  listened  to  the  doctor  in  sad  and 
submissive  silence,  now  suddenly  jumped  up.  "Doctor,"  he 
said,  "tell  me  truly:  have  you  really  any  hope  of  her  final 
recovery?" 

The  doctor  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "Very  little,"  he  replied 
quietly.  "But,  friend,  think  of  my  trouble.  You  have  still  a 
beloved  child  to  look  for  you  and  greet  you  on  your  return 
home.  You  do  not  come  back  to  an  empty  house  and  sit  down 
to  a  solitary  meal.  And  the  child  is  happy  and  comfortable  at 
home  too.  If  there  is  much  that  she  has  to  give  up,  she  has  on 
the  other  hand  many  advantages.  No,  Sesemann,  you  are  not 
so  greatly  to  be  pitied — you  have  still  the  happiness  of  being 
together.  Think  of  my  lonely  house ! " 

Herr  Sesemann  was  now  striding  up  and  down  the  room  as 
was  his  habit  when  deeply  engaged  in  thought.  Suddenly  he 
came  to  a  pause  beside  his  friend  and  laid  his  hand  on  his 
shoulder.  "Doctor,  I  have  an  idea;  I  cannot  bear  to  see  you 
look  as  you  do;  you  are  no  longer  the  same  man.  You  must  be 
taken  out  of  yourself  for  a  while,  and  what  do  you  think  I  pro- 

[239  ] 


HEIDI 

pose?  That  you  shall  take  the  journey  and  go  and  pay  Heidi 
a  visit  in  our  name. " 

The  doctor  was  taken  aback  at  this  sudden  proposal  and 
wanted  to  make  objections,  but  his  friend  gave  him  no  time  to 
say  anything.  He  was  so  delighted  with  his  idea,  that  he  seized 
the  doctor  by  the  arm  and  drew  him  into  Clara's  room.  The 
kind  doctor  was  always  a  welcome  visitor  to  Clara,  for  he  gen- 
erally had  something  amusing  to  tell  her.  Lately,  it  is  true,  he 
had  been  graver,  but  Clara  knew  the  reason  why  and  would 
have  given  much  to  see  him  his  old  lively  self  again.  She  held 
out  her  hand  to  him  as  he  came  up  to  her;  he  took  a  seat  beside 
her,  and  her  father  also  drew  up  his  chair,  and  taking  Clara's 
hand  in  his  began  to  talk  to  her  of  the  Swiss  journey  and  how 
he  himself  had  looked  forward  to  it.  He  passed  as  quickly  as 
he  could  over  the  main  point  that  it  was  now  impossible  for 
her  to  undertake  it,  for  he  dreaded  the  tears  that  would  follow; 
but  he  went  on  without  pause  to  tell  her  of  his  new  plan,  and 
dwelt  on  the  great  benefit  it  would  be  to  his  friend  if  he  could 
be  persuaded  to  take  this  holiday. 

The  tears  were  indeed  swimming  in  the  blue  eyes,  although 
Clara  struggled  to  keep  them  down  for  her  father's  sake,  but  it 
was  a  bitter  disappointment  to  give  up  the  journey,  the  thought 
of  which  had  been  her  only  joy  and  solace  during  the  lonely 
hours  of  her  long  illness.  She  knew,  however,  that  her  father 
would  never  refuse  her  a  thing  unless  he  was  certain  that  it 
would  be  harmful  for  her.  So  she  swallowed  her  tears  as  well 
as  she  could  and  turned  her  thoughts  to  the  one  hope  still  left 
her.  Taking  the  doctor's  hand  and  stroking  it,  she  said  plead- 
ingly— 

[240] 


PREPARATIONS  FOR  A  JOURNEY 

"Dear  doctor,  you  will  go  and  see  Heidi,  won't  you?  and 
then  you  can  come  and  tell  me  all  about  it,  what  it  is  like  up 
there,  and  what  Heidi  and  the  grandfather,  and  Peter  and 
the  goats  do  all  day.  I  know  them  all  so  well!  And  then 
you  can  take  what  I  want  to  send  to  Heidi;  I  have  thought 
about  it  all,  and  also  something  for  the  grandmother.  Do 
pray  go,  dear  doctor,  and  I  will  take  as  much  cod  liver  oil  as 
you  like." 

Whether  this  promise  finally  decided  the  doctor  it  is  impos- 
sible to  say,  but  it  is  certain  that  he  smiled  and  said, — 

"Then  I  must  certainly  go,  Clara,  for  you  will  then  get  as 
plump  and  strong  as  your  father  and  I  wish  to  see  you.  And 
have  you  decided  when  I  am  to  start?" 

"To-morrow  morning — early  if  possible,"  replied  Clara. 

"Yes,  she  is  right,"  put  in  Herr  Sesemann;  "the  sun  is 
shining  and  the  sky  is  blue,  and  there  is  no  time  to  be  lost ;  it  is 
a  pity  to  miss  a  single  one  of  these  days  on  the  mountain. " 

The  doctor  could  not  help  laughing.  "You  will  be  reproach- 
ing me  next  for  not  being  there  already;  well,  I  must  go  and 
make  arrangements  for  getting  off.  " 

But  Clara  would  not  let  him  go  until  she  had  given  him  end- 
less messages  for  Heidi,  and  had  explained  all  he  was  to  look  at 
so  as  to  give  her  an  exact  description  on  his  return.  Her  pres- 
ents she  would  send  round  later,  as  Fraulein  Rottenmeier 
must  first  help  her  to  pack  them  up;  at  that  moment  she  was 
out  on  one  of  her  excursions  into  the  town  which  always  kept 
her  engaged  for  some  time.  The  doctor  promised  to  obey 
Clara's  directions  in  every  particular;  he  would  start  some 
time  during  the  following  day  if  not  the  first  thing  in  the  morn- 

[  241  ] 


HEIDI 

ing,  and  would  bring  back  a  faithful  account  of  his  experiences 
and  of  all  he  saw  and  heard. 

The  servants  of  a  household  have  a  curious  faculty  of  divin- 
ing what  is  going  on  before  they  are  actually  told  about  any- 
thing. Sebastian  and  Tinette  must  have  possessed  this  faculty 
in  a  high  degree,  for  even  as  the  doctor  was  going  downstairs, 
Tinette,  who  had  been  rung  for,  entered  Clara's  room. 

"Take  that  box  and  bring  it  back  filled  with  the  soft  cakes 
which  we  have  with  coffee,"  said  Clara,  pointing  to  a  box 
which  had  been  brought  long  before  in  preparation  for  this. 
Tinette  took  it  up,  and  carried  it  out,  dangling  it  contemptu- 
ously in  her  hand. 

"Hardly  worth  the  trouble  I  should  have  thought,"  she  said 
pertly  as  she  left  the  room. 

As  Sebastian  opened  the  door  for  the  doctor  he  said  with  a 
bow,  "Will  the  Herr  Doctor  be  so  kind  as  to  give  the  little  miss 
my  greetings?" 

"I  see,"  said  the  doctor,  "you  know  then  already  that  I  am 
off  on  a  journey?" 

Sebastian  hesitated  and  gave  an  awkward  little  cough.  "I 
am — I  have — I  hardly  know  myself  Oh,  yes,  I  remember;  I 
happened  to  pass  through  the  dining-room  and  caught  little 
miss's  name,  and  I  put  two  and  two  together — and  so  I 
thought—" 

"I  see,  I  see,"  smiled  the  doctor,  "one  can  find  out  a  great 
many  things  by  thinking.  Good-bye  till  I  see  you  again,  Sebas- 
tian, I  will  be  sure  and  give  your  message." 

The  doctor  was  hastening  off  when  he  met  with  a  sudden 
obstacle;  the  violent  wind  had  prevented  Fraulein  Rottenmeier 

[242] 


PREPARATIONS  FOR  A  JOURNEY 

prosecuting  her  walk  any  farther,  and  she  was  just  returning 
and  had  reached  the  door  as  he  was  coming  out.  The  white 
shawl  she  wore  was  so  blown  out  by  the  wind  that  she  looked 
like  a  ship  in  full  sail.  The  doctor  drew  back,  but  Fraulein 
Rottenmeier  had  always  evinced  peculiar  appreciation  and 
respect  for  this  man,  and  she  also  drew  back  with  exaggerated 
politeness  to  let  him  pass.  The  two  stood  for  a  few  seconds, 
each  anxious  to  make  way  for  the  other,  but  a  sudden  gust  of 
wind  sent  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  flying  with  all  her  sails  almost 
into  the  doctor's  arms,  and  she  had  to  pause  and  recover  her- 
self before  she  could  shake  hands  with  the  doctor  with  becom- 
ing decorum.  She  was  put  out  at  having  been  forced  to  enter  in 
so  undignified  a  manner,  but  the  doctor  had  a  way  of  smooth- 
ing people's  ruffled  feathers,  and  she  was  soon  listening  with  her 
usual  composure  while  he  informed  her  of  his  intended  journey, 
begging  her  in  his  most  conciliatory  voice  to  pack  up  the  parcels 
for  Heidi  as  she  alone  knew  how  to  pack.  And  then  he  took  his 
leave. 

Clara  quite  expected  to  have  a  long  tussle  with  Fraulein 
Rottenmeier  before  she  would  get  the  latter  to  consent  to  send- 
ing all  the  things  that  she  had  collected  as  presents  for  Heidi. 
But  this  time  she  was  mistaken,  for  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  was 
in  a  more  than  usually  good  temper.  She  cleared  the  large 
table  so  that  all  the  things  for  Heidi  could  be  spread  out  upon 
it  and  packed  under  Clara's  own  eyes.  It  was  no  light  job,  for 
the  presents  were  of  all  shapes  and  sizes.  First  there  was  the 
little  warm  cloak  with  a  hood,  which  had  been  designed  by 
Clara  herself,  in  order  that  Heidi  during  the  coming  winter 
might  be  able  to  go  and  see  grandmother  when  she  liked,  and 

[  243  ] 


HEIDI 

not  have  to  wait  till  her  grandfather  could  take  her  wrapped  up 
in  a  sack  to  keep  her  from  freezing.  Then  came  a  thick  warm 
shawl  for  the  grandmother,  in  which  she  could  wrap  herself  well 
up  and  not  feel  the  cold  when  the  wind  came  sweeping  in  such 
terrible  gusts  round  the  house.  The  next  object  was  the  large 
box  full  of  cakes;  these  were  also  for  the  grandmother,  that  she 
might  have  something  to  eat  with  her  coffee  besides  bread.  An 
immense  sausage  was  the  next  article;  this  had  been  originally 
intended  for  Peter,  who  never  had  anything  but  bread  and 
cheese,  but  Clara  had  altered  her  mind,  fearing  that  in  his  de- 
light he  might  eat  it  all  up  at  once  and  make  himself  ill.  So  she 
arranged  to  send  it  to  Brigitta,  who  could  take  some  for  herself 
and  the  grandmother  and  give  Peter  his  portion  out  by  degrees. 
A  packet  of  tobacco  was  a  present  for  grandfather,  who  was 
fond  of  his  pipe  as  he  sat  resting  in  the  evening.  Finally  there 
was  a  whole  lot  of  mysterious  little  bags,  and  parcels,  and  boxes, 
which  Clara  had  had  especial  pleasure  in  collecting,  as  each  was 
to  be  a  joyful  surprise  for  Heidi  as  she  opened  it.  The  work 
came  to  an  end  at  last,  and  an  imposing-looking  package  lay  on 
the  floor  ready  for  transport.  Praulein  Rottenmeier  looked  at 
it  with  satisfaction,  lost  in  the  consideration  of  the  art  of  pack- 
ing. Clara  eyed  it  too  with  pleasure,  picturing  Heidi's  exclama- 
tions and  jumps  of  joy  and  surprise  when  the  huge  parcel  ar- 
rived at  the  hut. 

And  now  Sebastian  came  in,  and  lifting  the  package  on  to  his 
shoulder,  carried  it  off  to  be  forwarded  at  once  to  the  doctor's 
house. 


[244] 


CHAPTER  XVI 
A  VISITOR 

THE  early  light  of  morning  lay  rosy  red  upon  the  moun- 
tains, and  a  fresh  breeze  rustled  through  the  fir  trees  and 
set  their  ancient  branches  waving  to  and  fro.  The  sound 
awoke  Heidi  and  she  opened  her  eyes.  The  roaring  in  the  trees 
always  stirred  a  strong  emotion  within  her  and  seemed  to 
draw  her  irresistibly  to  them.  So  she  jumped  out  of  bed  and 
dressed  herself  as  quickly  as  she  could,  but  it  took  her  some 
time  even  then,  for  she  was  careful  now  to  be  always  clean  and 
tidy. 

When  she  went  down  her  ladder  she  found  her  grandfather 
had  already  left  the  hut.  He  was  standing  outside  looking  at 
the  sky  and  examining  the  landscape  as  he  did  every  morning, 
to  see  what  sort  of  weather  it  was  going  to  be. 

Little  pink  clouds  were  floating  over  the  sky,  that  was  grow- 
ing brighter  and  bluer  with  every  minute,  while  the  heights  and 
the  meadow  lands  were  turning  gold  under  the  rising  sun,  which 
was  just  appearing  above  the  topmost  peaks. 

"O  how  beautiful!  how  beautiful!  Good-morning,  grand- 
father!" cried  Heidi,  running  out. 

"What,  you  are  awake  already,  are  you?  "  he  answered,  giv- 
ing her  a  morning  greeting. 

Then  Heidi  ran  round  to  the  fir  trees  to  enjoy  the  sound  she 
loved  so  well,  and  with  every  fresh  gust  of  wind  which  came 
roaring  through  their  branches  she  gave  a  fresh  jump  and  cry 
of  delight. 

[247] 


HEIDI 

Meanwhile  the  grandfather  had  gone  to  milk  the  goats;  this 
done  he  brushed  and  washed  them,  ready  for  their  mountain 
excursion,  and  brought  them  out  of  their  shed.  As  soon  as 
Heidi  caught  sight  of  her  two  friends  she  ran  and  embraced 
them,  and  they  bleated  in  return,  while  they  vied  with  each 
other  in  showing  their  affection  by  poking  their  heads  against 
her  and  trying  which  could  get  nearest  her,  so  that  she  was 
almost  crushed  between  them.  But  Heidi  was  not  afraid  of 
them,  and  when  the  lively  Little  Bear  gave  rather  too  violent  a 
thrust,  she  only  said,  "No,  Little  Bear,  you  are  pushing  like 
the  Great  Turk,"  and  Little  Bear  immediately  drew  back  his 
head  and  left  off  his  rough  attentions,  while  Little  Swan  lifted 
her  head  and  put  on  an  expression  as  much  as  to  say,  "No  one 
shall  ever  accuse  me  of  behaving  like  the  Great  Turk."  For 
White  Swan  was  a  rather  more  distinguished  person  than 
Brown  Bear. 

And  now  Peter's  whistle  was  heard  and  all  the  goats  came 
along,  leaping  and  springing,  and  Heidi  soon  found  herself  sur- 
rounded by  the  whole  flock,  pushed  this  way  and  that  by  their 
obstreperous  greetings,  but  at  last  she  managed  to  get  through 
them  to  where  Snowflake  was  standing,  for  the  young  goat  had 
in  vain  striven  to  reach  her. 

Peter  now  gave  a  last  tremendous  whistle,  in  order  to  startle 
the  goats  and  drive  them  off,  for  he  wanted  to  get  near  himself 
to  say  something  to  Heidi.  The  goats  sprang  aside  and  he 
came  up  to  her. 

"Can  you  come  out  with  me  to-day?"  he  asked,  evidently 
unwilling  to  hear  her  refuse. 

"I  am  afraid  I  cannot,  Peter,"  she  answered.  "I  am  expect- 

[248] 


A  VISITOR 

ing  them  every  minute  from  Frankfurt,  and  I  must  be  at  home 
when  they  come." 

"You  have  said  the  same  thing  for  days  now,"  grumbled 
Peter. 

"I  must  continue  to  say  it  till  they  come,"  replied  Heidi. 
"How  can  you  think,  Peter,  that  I  would  be  away  when  they 
came?  As  if  I  could  do  such  a  thing?  " 

"They  would  find  Uncle  at  home,"  he  answered  with  a 
snarling  voice. 

But  at  this  moment  the  grandfather's  stentorian  voice  was 
heard.  "Why  is  the  army  not  marching  forward?  Is  it  the 
field-marshal  who  is  missing  or  some  of  the  troops?" 

Whereupon  Peter  turned  and  went  off,  swinging  his  stick 
round  so  that  it  whistled  through  the  air,  and  the  goats,  who 
understood  the  signal,  started  at  full  trot  for  their  mountain 
pasture,  Peter  following  in  their  wake. 

Since  Heidi  had  been  back  with  her  grandfather  things  came 
now  and  then  into  her  mind  of  which  she  had  never  thought 
in  former  days.  So  now,  with  great  exertion,  she  put  her  bed  in 
order  every  morning,  patting  and  stroking  it  till  she  had  got  it 
perfectly  smooth  and  flat.  Then  she  went  about  the  room 
downstairs,  put  each  chair  back  in  its  place,  and  if  she  found 
anything  lying  about  she  put  it  in  the  cupboard.  After  that 
she  fetched  a  duster,  climbed  on  a  chair,  and  rubbed  the  table 
till  it  shone  again.  When  the  grandfather  came  in  later  he 
would  look  round  well  pleased  and  say  to  himself,  "We  look  like 
Sunday  every  day  now;  Heidi  did  not  go  abroad  for  nothing." 

After  Peter  had  departed  and  she  and  her  grandfather  had 
breakfasted,  Heidi  began  her  daily  work  as  usual,  but  she  did 

[249  ] 


HEIDI 

not  get  on  with  it  very  fast.  It  was  so  lovely  out  of  doors  to-day, 
and  every  minute  something  happened  to  interrupt  her  in  her 
work.  Now  it  was  a  bright  beam  of  sun  shining  cheerfully 
through  the  open  window,  and  seeming  to  say,  "Come  out, 
Heidi,  come  out!"  Heidi  felt  she  could  not  stay  indoors,  and 
she  ran  out  in  answer  to  the  call.  The  sunlight  lay  sparkling 
on  everything  around  the  hut  and  on  all  the  mountains  and 
far  away  along  the  valley,  and  the  grass  slope  looked  so  golden 
and  inviting  that  she  was  obliged  to  sit  down  for  a  few  minutes 
and  look  about  her.  Then  she  suddenly  remembered  that  her 
stool  was  left  standing  in  the  middle  of  the  floor  and  that  the 
table  had  not  been  rubbed,  and  she  jumped  up  and  ran  inside 
again.  But  it  was  not  long  before  the  fir  trees  began  their  old 
song;  Heidi  felt  it  in  all  her  limbs,  and  again  the  desire  to  run 
outside  was  irresistible,  and  she  was  off  to  play  and  leap  to  the 
tune  of  the  waving  branches.  The  grandfather,  who  was  busy 
in  his  work-shed,  stepped  out  from  time  to  time  smiling  to 
watch  her  at  her  gambols.  He  had  just  gone  back  to  his  work 
on  one  of  these  occasions  when  Heidi  called  out,  "  Grandfather! 
grandfather !  Come,  come ! " 

He  stepped  quickly  out,  almost  afraid  something  had  hap- 
pened to  the  child,  but  he  saw  her  running  towards  where  the 
mountain  path  descended,  crying,  "They  are  coming!  they  are 
coming !  and  the  doctor  is  in  front  of  them ! " 

Heidi  rushed  forward  to  welcome  her  old  friend,  who  held 
out  his  hands  in  greeting  to  her.  When  she  came  up  to  him  she 
clung  to  his  outstretched  arm,  and  exclaimed  in  the  joy  of  her 
heart,  "Good-morning,  doctor,  and  thank  you  ever  so  many 
times." 

[250] 


A  VISITOR 

"God  bless  you,  child!  what  have  you  got  to  thank  me  for?" 
asked  the  doctor,  smiling. 

"For  being  at  home  again  with  grandfather,"  the  child  ex- 
plained. 

The  doctor's  face  brightened  as  if  a  sudden  ray  of  sunshine 
had  passed  across  it;  he  had  not  expected  such  a  reception  as 
this.  Lost  in  the  sense  of  his  loneliness  he  had  climbed  the 
mountain  without  heeding  how  beautiful  it  was  on  every  side, 
and  how  more  and  more  beautiful  it  became  the  higher  he  got. 
He  had  quite  thought  that  Heidi  would  have  forgotten  him; 
she  had  seen  so  little  of  him,  and  he  had  felt  rather  like  one 
bearing  a  message  of  disappointment,  anticipating  no  great 
show  of  favor,  coming  as  he  did  without  the  expected  friends. 
But  instead,  here  was  Heidi,  her  eyes  dancing  for  joy,  and  full 
of  gratitude  and  affection,  clinging  to  the  arm  of  her  kind  friend. 

He  took  her  by  the  hand  with  fatherly  tenderness.  "Take 
me  now  to  your  grandfather,  Heidi,  and  show  me  where  you 
live." 

But  Heidi  still  remained  standing,  looking  down  the  path 
with  a  questioning  gaze.  "  Where  are  Clara  and  grandmother?" 
she  asked. 

"Ah,  now  I  have  to  tell  you  something  which  you  will  be  as 
sorry  about  as  I  am,"  answered  the  doctor.  "You  see,  Heidi, 
I  have  come  alone.  Clara  was  very  ill  and  could  not  travel,  and 
so  the  grandmother  stayed  behind  too.  But  next  spring,  when 
the  days  grow  warm  and  long  again,  they  are  coming  here  for 
certain." 

Heidi  was  greatly  concerned;  she  could  not  at  first  bring  her- 
self to  believe  that  what  she  had  for  so  long  been  picturing  to 

[251] 


HEIDI 

herself  was  not  going  to  happen  after  all.  She  stood  motionless 
for  a  second  or  two,  overcome  by  the  unexpected  disappoint- 
ment. The  doctor  said  nothing  further;  all  around  lay  the  sil- 
ence— only  the  sighing  of  the  fir  trees  could  be  heard  from  where 
they  stood.  Then  Heidi  suddenly  remembered  why  she  had 
run  down  there,  and  that  the  doctor  had  really  come.  She  lifted 
her  eyes  and  saw  the  sad  expression  in  his  as  he  looked  down  at 
her;  she  had  never  seen  him  with  that  look  on  his  face  when  she 
was  in  Frankfurt.  It  went  to  Heidi's  heart;  she  could  not  bear 
to  see  anybody  unhappy,  especially  her  dear  doctor.  No  doubt 
it  was  because  Clara  and  grandmother  could  not  come,  and  so 
she  began  to  think  how  best  she  might  console  him. 

"Oh,  it  won't  be  very  long  to  wait  for  spring,  and  then  they 
will  be  sure  to  come,"  she  said  in  a  reassuring  voice.  "Time 
passes  very  quickly  with  us,  and  then  they  will  be  able  to  stay 
longer  when  they  are  here,  and  Clara  will  be  pleased  at  that. 
Now  let  us  go  and  find  grandfather." 

Hand  in  hand  with  her  friend  she  climbed  up  to  the  hut. 
She  was  so  anxious  to  make  the  doctor  happy  again  that  she 
began  once  more  assuring  him  that  the  winter  passed  so  quickly 
on  the  mountain  that  it  was  hardly  to  be  taken  account  of,  and 
that  summer  would  be  back  again  before  they  knew  it,  and 
she  became  so  convinced  of  the  truth  of  her  own  words  that 
she  called  out  quite  cheerfully  to  her  grandfather  as  they 
approached,  "They  have  not  come  to-day,  but  they  will  be 
here  in  a  very  short  time." 

The  doctor  was  no  stranger  to  the  grandfather,  for  the  child 
had  talked  to  him  so  much  about  her  friend.  The  old  man  held 
out  his  hand  to  his  guest  in  friendly  greeting.   Then  the  two 

[252] 


A  VISITOR 

men  sat  down  in  front  of  the  hut,  and  Heidi  had  her  little  place 
too,  for  the  doctor  beckoned  her  to  come  and  sit  beside  him. 
The  doctor  told  Uncle  how  Herr  Sesemann  had  insisted  on  his 
taking  this  journey,  and  he  felt  himself  it  would  do  him  good  as 
he  had  not  been  quite  the  thing  for  a  long  time.  Then  he  whis- 
pered to  Heidi  that  there  was  something  being  brought  up  the 
mountain  which  had  travelled  with  him  from  Frankfurt,  and 
which  would  give  her  even  more  pleasure  than  seeing  the  old 
doctor.  Heidi  got  into  a  great  state  of  excitement  on  hearing 
this,  wondering  what  it  could  be.  The  old  man  urged  the  doctor 
to  spend  as  many  of  the  beautiful  autumn  days  on  the  moun- 
tain as  he  could,  and  at  least  to  come  up  whenever  it  was  fine; 
he  could  not  offer  him  a  lodging,  as  he  had  no  place  to  put  him; 
he  advised  the  doctor,  however,  not  to  go  back  to  Ragatz,  but 
to  stay  at  Dorfli,  where  there  was  a  clean,  tidy  little  inn.  Then 
the  doctor  could  come  up  every  morning,  which  would  do  him 
no  end  of  good,  and  if  he  liked,  he,  the  grandfather,  would  act 
as  his  guide  to  any  part  of  the  mountains  he  would  like  to  see. 
The  doctor  was  delighted  with  this  proposal,  and  it  was  settled 
that  it  should  be  as  the  grandfather  suggested. 

Meanwhile  the  sun  had  been  climbing  up  the  sky,  and  it  was 
now  noon.  The  wind  had  sunk  and  the  fir  trees  stood  motion- 
less. The  air  was  still  wonderfully  warm  and  mild  for  that 
height,  while  a  delicious  freshness  was  mingled  with  the  warmth 
of  the  sun. 

Aim-Uncle  now  rose  and  went  indoors,  returning  in  a  few 
minutes  with  a  table  which  he  placed  in  front  of  the  seat. 

"There,  Heidi,  now  run  in  and  bring  us  what  we  want  for 
the  table,"  he  said.     "The  doctor  must  take  us  as  he  finds  us; 

[253] 


HEIDI 

if  the  food  is  plain,  he  will  acknowledge  that  the  dining-room 
is  pleasant." 

"I  should  think  so  indeed,"  replied  the  doctor  as  he  looked 
down  over  the  sun-lit  valley,  "  and  I  accept  the  kind  invitation; 
everything  must  taste  good  up  here." 

Heidi  ran  backwards  and  forwards  as  busy  as  a  bee  and 
brought  out  everything  she  could  find  in  the  cupboard,  for  she 
did  not  know  how  to  be  pleased  enough  that  she  could  help  to 
entertain  the  doctor.  The  grandfather  meanwhile  had  been 
preparing  the  meal,  and  now  appeared  with  a  steaming  jug  of 
milk  and  golden-brown  toasted  cheese.  Then  he  cut  some  thin 
slices  from  the  meat  he  had  cured  himself  in  the  pure  air,  and 
the  doctor  enjoyed  his  dinner  better  than  he  had  for  a  whole 
year  past. 

"Our  Clara  must  certainly  come  up  here,"  he  said,  "it 
would  make  her  quite  a  different  person,  and  if  she  ate  for  any 
length  of  time  as  I  have  to-day,  she  would  grow  plumper  than 
any  one  has  ever  known  her  before. " 

As  he  spoke  a  man  was  seen  coming  up  the  path  carrying  a 
large  package  on  his  back.  When  he  reached  the  hut  he  threw 
it  on  the  ground  and  drew  in  two  or  three  good  breaths  of  the 
mountain  air. 

"Ah,  here's  what  travelled  with  me  from  Frankfurt,"  said 
the  doctor,  rising,  and  he  went  up  to  the  package  and  began 
undoing  it,  Heidi  looking  on  in  great  expectation.  After  he 
had  released  it  from  its  heavy  outer  covering,  "There, 
child,"  he  said,  "now  you  can  go  on  unpacking  your  treasures 
yourself." 

Heidi  undid  her  presents  one  by  one  until  they  were  all  dis- 

[254  ] 


A  VISITOR 

played;  she  could  not  speak  the  while  for  wonder  and  delight. 
Not  till  the  doctor  went  up  to  her  again  and  opened  the  large 
box  to  show  Heidi  the  cakes  that  were  for  the  grandmother  to 
eat  with  her  coffee,  did  she  at  last  give  a  cry  of  joy,  exclaiming, 
"Now  grandmother  will  have  nice  things  to  eat,"  and  she 
wanted  to  pack  everything  up  again  and  start  at  once  to  give 
them  to  her.  But  the  grandfather  said  he  should  walk  down 
with  the  doctor  that  evening  and  she  could  go  with  them  and 
take  the  things.  Heidi  now  found  the  packet  of  tobacco  which 
she  ran  and  gave  to  her  grandfather;  he  was  so  pleased  with  it 
that  he  immediately  filled  his  pipe  with  some,  and  the  two  men 
then  sat  down  together  again,  the  smoke  curling  up  from  their 
pipes  as  they  talked  of  all  kinds  of  things,  while  Heidi  con- 
tinued to  examine  first  one  and  then  another  of  her  presents. 
Suddenly  she  ran  up  to  them,  and  standing  in  front  of  the 
doctor,  waited  till  there  was  a  pause  in  the  conversation,  and 
then  said,  "  No,  the  other  thing  has  not  given  me  more  pleasure 
than  seeing  you,  doctor. " 

The  two  men  could  not  help  laughing,  and  the  doctor  ans- 
wered that  he  should  never  have  thought  it. 

As  the  sun  began  to  sink  behind  the  mountains  the  doctor 
rose,  thinking  it  was  time  to  return  to  Dorfli  and  seek  for  quar- 
ters. The  grandfather  carried  the  cakes  and  the  shawl  and  the 
large  sausage,  and  the  doctor  took  Heidi's  hand,  so  they  all 
three  started  down  the  mountain.  Arrived  at  Peter's  home 
Heidi  bid  the  others  good-bye;  she  was  to  wait  at  grandmother's 
till  her  grandfather,  who  was  going  on  to  Dorfli  with  his 
guest,  returned  to  fetch  her.  As  the  doctor  shook  hands  with 
her  she  asked,  "Would  you  like  to  come  out  with  the  goats 

[255  ] 


HEIDI 

to-morrow  morning?"  for  she  could  think  of  no  greater  treat 
to  offer  him. 

"Agreed!"  answered  the  doctor,  "we  will  go  together." 

Heidi  now  ran  in  to  the  grandmother;  she  first,  with  some 
effort,  managed  to  carry  in  the  box  of  cakes;  then  she  ran  out 
again  and  brought  in  the  sausage — for  her  grandfather  had  put 
the  presents  down  by  the  door — and  then  a  third  time  for  the 
shawl.  She  had  placed  them  as  close  as  she  could  to  the  grand- 
mother, so  that  the  latter  might  be  able  to  feel  them  and  un- 
derstand what  was  there.  The  shawl  she  laid  over  the  old 
woman's  knees. 

"They  are  all  from  Frankfurt,  from  Clara  and  grand- 
mamma," she  explained  to  the  astonished  grandmother  and 
Brigitta,  the  latter  having  watched  her  dragging  in  all  the 
heavy  things,  unable  to  imagine  what  was  happening. 

"And  you  are  very  pleased  with  the  cakes,  aren't  you,  grand- 
mother? taste  how  soft  they  are!"  said  Heidi  over  and  over 
again,  to  which  the  grandmother  continued  to  answer,  "Yes,  yes, 
Heidi,  I  should  think  so !  what  kind  people  they  must  be ! "  And 
then  she  would  pass  her  hand  over  the  warm  thick  shawl  and 
add,  "  This  will  be  beautiful  for  the  cold  winter !  I  never  thought 
I  should  ever  have  such  a  splendid  thing  as  this  to  put  on." 

Heidi  could  not  help  feeling  some  surprise  at  the  grand- 
mother seeming  to  take  more  pleasure  in  the  shawl  than  the 
cakes.  Meanwhile  Brigitta  stood  gazing  at  the  sausage  with 
almost  an  expression  of  awe.  She  had  hardly  in  her  life  seen 
such  a  monster  sausage,  much  less  owned  one,  and  she  could 
scarcely  believe  her  eyes.  She  shook  her  head  and  said  doubt- 
fully, "I  must  ask  Uncle  what  it  is  meant  for." 

[  256  ] 


A  VISITOR 

But  Heidi  answered  without  hesitation,  "It  is  meant  for 
eating,  not  for  anything  else." 

Peter  came  tumbling  in  at  this  minute.  "Uncle  is  just  be- 
hind me,  he  is  coming — "  he  began,  and  then  stopped  short, 
for  his  eye  had  caught  sight  of  the  sausage,  and  he  was  too 
much  taken  aback  to  say  more.  But  Heidi  understood  that  her 
grandfather  was  near  and  so  said  good-bye  to  grandmother. 
The  old  man  now  never  passed  the  door  without  going  in  to 
wish  the  old  woman  good-day,  and  she  liked  to  hear  his  foot- 
step approaching,  for  he  always  had  a  cheery  word  for  her. 
But  to-day  it  was  growing  late  for  Heidi,  who  was  always  up 
with  the  lark,  and  the  grandfather  would  never  let  her  go  to 
bed  after  hours;  so  this  evening  he  only  called  good-night 
through  the  open  door  and  started  home  at  once  with  the  child, 
and  the  two  climbed  under  the  starlit  sky  back  to  their  peace- 
ful dwelling. 


[257] 


ng^a^teiSiissHassaxsatiBss^^ses^i^Bsss^^jssss^i^^^m 


CHAPTER  XVII 
A  COMPENSATION 

THE  next  morning  the  doctor  climbed  up  from  Dorfli 
with  Peter  and  the  goats.  The  kindly  gentleman  tried 
now  and  then  to  enter  into  conversation  with  the  boy,  but 
his  attempts  failed,  for  he  could  hardly  get  a  word  out  of  Peter 
in  answer  to  his  questions.  Peter  was  not  easily  persuaded  to 
talk.  So  the  party  silently  made  their  way  up  to  the  hut,  where 
they  found  Heidi  awaiting  them  with  her  two  goats,  all  three  as 
fresh  and  lively  as  the  morning  sun  among  the  mountains. 

"Are  you  coming  to-day?"  said  Peter,  repeating  the  words 
with  which  he  daily  greeted  her,  either  in  question  or  in  sum- 
mons. 

"  Of  course  I  am,  if  the  doctor  is  coming  too, "  replied  Heidi. 

Peter  cast  a  sidelong  glance  at  the  doctor.  The  grandfather 
now  came  out  with  the  dinner  bag,  and  after  bidding  good-day 
to  the  doctor,  he  went  up  to  Peter  and  slung  it  over  his  neck. 
It  was  heavier  than  usual,  for  Aim-Uncle  had  added  some  meat 
to-day,  as  he  thought  the  doctor  might  like  to  have  his  lunch 
out  and  eat  it  when  the  children  did.  Peter  gave  a  grin,  for  he 
felt  sure  there  was  something  more  than  ordinary  in  it. 

And  so  the  ascent  began.  The  goats  as  usual  came  thronging 
around  Heidi,  each  trying  to  be  nearest  her,  until  at  last  she 
stood  still  and  said,  "Now  you  must  go  on  in  front  and  behave 
properly,  and  not  keep  on  turning  back  and  pushing  and  pok- 
ing me,  for  I  want  to  talk  to  the  doctor,"  and  she  gave  Snow- 

[261  1 


HEIDI 

flake  a  little  pat  on  the  back  and  told  her  to  be  good  and  obedi- 
ent. By  degrees  she  managed  to  make  her  way  out  from  among 
them  and  joined  the  doctor,  who  took  her  by  the  hand.  He  had 
no  difficulty  now  in  conversing  with  his  companion,  for  Heidi 
had  a  great  deal  to  say  about  the  goats  and  their  peculiarities, 
and  about  the  flowers  and  the  rocks  and  the  birds,  and  so  they 
clambered  on  and  reached  their  resting-place  before  they  were 
aware.  Peter  had  sent  a  good  many  unfriendly  glances  towards 
the  doctor  on  the  way  up,  which  might  have  quite  alarmed  the 
latter  if  he  had  happened  to  notice  them,  which,  fortunately, 
he  did  not. 

Heidi  now  led  her  friend  to  her  favorite  spot  where  she  was 
accustomed  to  sit  and  enjoy  the  beauty  around  her;  the  doctor 
followed  her  example  and  took  his  seat  beside  her  on  the  warm 
grass.  Over  the  heights  and  over  the  far  green  valley  hung  the 
golden  glory  of  the  autumn  day.  The  great  snowfield  sparkled 
in  the  bright  sunlight,  and  the  two  gray  rocky  peaks  rose  in 
their  ancient  majesty  against  the  dark  blue  sky.  A  soft,  light 
morning  breeze  blew  deliciously  across  the  mountain,  gently 
stirring  the  bluebells  that  still  remained  of  the  summer's 
wealth  of  flowers,  their  slender  heads  nodding  cheerfully  in  the 
sunshine.  Overhead  the  great  bird  was  flying  round  and  round 
in  wide  circles,  but  to-day  he  made  no  sound;  poised  on  his 
large  wings  he  floated  contentedly  in  the  blue  ether.  Heidi 
looked  about  her  first  at  one  thing  and  then  at  another.  The 
waving  flowers,  the  blue  sky,  the  bright  sunshine,  the  happy 
bird — everything  was  so  beautiful !  so  beautiful !  Her  eyes  were 
alight  with  joy.  And  now  she  turned  to  her  friend  to  see  if  he 
too  were  enjoying  the  beauty.    The  doctor  had  been  sitting 

[262] 


A  COMPENSATION 

thoughtfully  gazing  around  him.  As  he  met  her  glad  bright 
eyes,  "Yes,  Heidi,"  he  responded,  "I  see  how  lovely  it  all  is, 
but  tell  me — if  one  brings  a  sad  heart  up  here,  how  may  it  be 
healed  so  that  it  can  rejoice  in  all  this  beauty?  " 

"Oh,  but,"  exclaimed  Heidi,  "no  one  is  sad  up  here,  only  in 
Frankfurt. 

The  doctor  smiled  and  then  growing  serious  again  he  con- 
tinued, "But  supposing  one  is  not  able  to  leave  all  the  sadness 
behind  at  Frankfurt;  can  you  tell  me  anything  that  will  help 
then?" 

"When  you  do  not  know  what  more  to  do  you  must  go  and 
tell  everything  to  God,"  answered  Heidi  with  decision. 

"Ah,  that  is  a  good  thought  of  yours,  Heidi,"  said  the  doctor. 
"But  if  it  is  God  Himself  who  has  sent  the  trouble,  what  can 
we  say  to  Him  then?" 

Heidi  sat  pondering  for  a  while;  she  was  sure  in  her  heart  that 
God  could  help  out  of  every  trouble.  She  thought  over  her 
own  experiences  and  then  found  her  answer. 

"Then  you  must  wait,"  she  said,  "and  keep  on  saying 
to  yourself:  God  certainly  knows  of  some  happiness  for  us 
which  He  is  going  to  bring  out  of  the  trouble,  only  we  must 
have  patience  and  not  run  away.  And  then  all  at  once 
something  happens  and  we  see  clearly  ourselves  that  God  has 
had  some  good  thought  in  His  mind  aU  along;  but  because 
we  cannot  see  things  beforehand,  and  only  know  how  dread- 
fully miserable  we  are,  we  think  it  is  always  going  to  be 
so." 

"That  is  a  beautiful  faith,  child,  and  be  sure  you  hold  it 
fast,"  replied  the  doctor.    Then  he  sat  on  a  while  in  silence, 

[  263  ] 


HEIDI 

looking  at  the  great  overshadowing  mountains  and  the  green, 
sunlit  valley  below  before  he  spoke  again — . 

"  Can  you  understand,  Heidi,  that  a  man  may  sit  here  with 
such  a  shadow  over  his  eyes  that  he  cannot  feel  and  enjoy  the 
beauty  around  him,  while  the  heart  grows  doubly  sad  knowing 
how  beautiful  it  could  be?  Can  you  understand  that?  " 

A  pain  shot  through  the  child's  young  happy  heart.  The 
shadow  over  the  eyes  brought  to  her  remembrance  the  grand- 
mother, who  would  never  again  be  able  to  see  the  sunlight  and 
the  beauty  up  here.  This  was  Heidi's  great  sorrow,  which  re- 
awoke  each  time  she  thought  about  the  darkness.  She  did  not 
speak  for  a  few  minutes,  for  her  happiness  was  interrupted  by 
this  sudden  pang.  Then  in  a  grave  voice  she  said, — 

"Yes,  I  can  understand  it.  And  I  know  this,  that  then 
one  must  say  one  of  grandmother's  hymns,  which  bring 
the  light  back  a  little,  and  often  make  it  so  bright  for  her 
that  she  is  quite  happy  again.  Grandmother  herself  told  me 
this." 

"Which  hymns  are  they,  Heidi? "  asked  the  doctor. 

"I  only  know  the  one  about  the  sun  and  the  beautiful  gar- 
den, and  some  of  the  verses  of  the  long  one,  which  are  favorites 
with  her,  and  she  always  likes  me  to  read  them  to  her  two  or 
three  times  over,"  replied  Heidi. 

"Well,  say  the  verses  to  me  then — I  should  like  to  hear 
them  too,"  and  the  doctor  sat  up  in  order  to  listen  better. 

Heidi  put  her  hands  together  and  sat  collecting  her  thoughts 
for  a  second  or  two:  "Shall  I  begin  at  the  verse  that  grand- 
mother says  gives  her  a  feeling  of  hope  and  confidence?" 

The  doctor  nodded  his  assent,  and  Heidi  began, — 

[264  ] 


A  COMPENSATION 

Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled 

Nor  fear  your  soul  dismay, 

There  is  a  wise  Defender 

And  He  will  be  your  stay. 

Where  you  have  failed,  He  conquers, 

See,  how  the  foeman  flies! 

And  all  your  tribulation 

Is  turned  to  glad  surprise. 

If  for  a  while  it  seemeth 

His  mercy  is  withdrawn, 

That  He  no  longer  careth 

For  His  wandering  child  forlorn, 

Doubt  not  His  great  compassion, 

His  love  can  never  tire, 

To  those  who  wait  in  patience 

Hegiyes  their  heart's  desire. 

Heidi  suddenly  paused;  she  was  not  sure  if  the  doctor  was 
still  listening.  He  was  sitting  motionless  with  his  hand  before 
his  eyes.  She  thought  he  had  fallen  asleep;  when  he  awoke,  if 
he  wanted  to  hear  more  verses,  she  would  go  on.  There  was  no 
sound  anywhere.  The  doctor  sat  in  silence,  but  he  was  cer- 
tainly not  asleep.  His  thoughts  had  carried  him  back  to  a 
long  past  time:  he  saw  himself  as  a  little  boy  standing  by  his 
dear  mother's  chair;  she  had  her  arm  round  his  neck  and  was 
saying  the  very  verses  to  him  that  Heidi  had  just  recited — 
words  which  he  had  not  heard  now  for  years.  He  could  hear 
his  mother's  voice  and  see  her  loving  eyes  resting  upon  him, 
and  as  Heidi  ceased  the  old  dear  voice  seemed  to  be  saying 
other  things  to  him;  and  the  words  he  heard  again  must  have 
carried  him  far,  far  away,  for  it  was  a  long  time  before  he 
stirred  or  took  his  hand  from  his  eyes.  When  at  last  he  roused 
himself  he  met  Heidi's  eyes  looking  wonderingly  at  him. 

[265  ] 


HEIDI 

"Heidi,"  he  said,  taking  the  child's  hand  in  his,  "that  was 
a  beautiful  hymn  of  yours,"  and  there  was  a  happier  ring  in 
his  voice  as  he  spoke.  "We  will  come  out  here  together  an- 
other day,  and  you  will  let  me  hear  it  again." 

Peter  meanwhile  had  had  enough  to  do  in  giving  vent  to  his 
anger.  It  was  now  some  days  since  Heidi  had  been  out  with 
him,  and  when  at  last  she  did  come,  there  she  sat  the  whole 
time  beside  the  old  gentleman,  and  Peter  could  not  get  a  word 
with  her.  He  got  into  a  terrible  temper,  and  at  last  went  and 
stood  some  way  back  behind  the  doctor,  where  the  latter  could 
not  see  him,  and  doubling  his  fist  made  imaginary  hits  at  the 
enemy.  Presently  he  doubled  both  fists,  and  the  longer  Heidi 
stayed  beside  the  gentleman,  the  more  fiercely  did  he  threaten 
with  them. 

Meanwhile  the  sun  had  risen  to  the  height  which  Peter  knew 
pointed  to  the  dinner  hour.  All  of  a  sudden  he  called  at  the  top 
of  his  voice,  "It's  dinner  time." 

Heidi  was  rising  to  fetch  the  dinner  bag  so  that  the  doctor 
might  eat  his  where  he  sat.  But  he  stopped  her,  telling  her  he 
was  not  hungry  at  all,  and  only  cared  for  a  glass  of  milk,  as  he 
wanted  to  climb  up  a  little  higher.  Then  Heidi  found  that  she 
also  was  not  hungry  and  only  wanted  milk,  and  she  should  like, 
she  said,  to  take  the  doctor  up  to  the  large  moss-covered  rock 
where  Greenfinch  had  nearly  jumped  down  and  killed  herself. 
So  she  ran  and  explained  matters  to  Peter,  telling  him  to  go 
and  get  milk  for  the  two.  Peter  seemed  hardly  to  understand. 
"  Who  is  going  to  eat  what  is  in  the  bag  then?  "  he  asked. 

"You  can  have  it,"  she  answered,  "only  first  make  haste 
and  get  the  milk." 

[266] 


^v 


A  COMPENSATION 

Peter  had  seldom  performed  any  task  more  promptly,  for  he 
thought  of  the  bag  and  its  contents,  which  now  belonged  to 
him.  As  soon  as  the  other  two  were  sitting  quietly  drinking 
their  milk,  he  opened  it,  and  quite  trembled  for  joy  at  the  sight 
of  the  meat,  and  he  was  just  putting  his  hand  in  to  draw  it  out 
when  something  seemed  to  hold  him  back.  His  conscience 
smote  him  at  the  remembrance  of  how  he  had  stood  with  his 
doubled  fists  behind  the  doctor,  who  was  now  giving  up  to  him 
his  whole  good  dinner.  He  felt  as  if  he  could  not  now  enjoy  it. 
But  all  at  once  he  jumped  up  and  ran  back  to  the  spot  where 
he  had  stood  before,  and  there  held  up  his  open  hands  as  a  sign 
that  he  had  no  longer  any  wish  to  use  them  as  fists,  and  kept 
them  up  until  he  felt  he  had  made  amends  for  his  past  conduct. 
Then  he  rushed  back  and  sat  down  to  the  double  enjoyment 
of  a  clear  conscience  and  an  unusually  satisfying  meal. 

Heidi  and  the  doctor  climbed  and  talked  for  a  long  while, 
until  the  latter  said  it  was  time  for  him  to  be  going  back,  and 
no  doubt  Heidi  would  like  to  go  and  be  with  her  goats.  But 
Heidi  would  not  hear  of  this,  as  then  the  doctor  would  have  to 
go  the  whole  way  down  the  mountain  alone.  She  insisted  on 
accompanying  him  as  far  as  the  grandfather's  hut,  or  even  a 
little  further.  She  kept  hold  of  her  friend's  hand  all  the  time, 
and  the  whole  way  she  entertained  him  with  accounts  of  this 
thing  and  that,  showing  him  the  spots  where  the  goats  loved 
best  to  feed,  and  others  where  in  summer  the  flowers  of  all 
colors  grew  in  greatest  abundance.  She  could  give  them  all 
their  right  names,  for  her  grandfather  had  taught  her  these 
during  the  summer  months.  But  at  last  the  doctor  insisted  on 
her  going  back;  so  they  bid  each  other  good-night  and  the 

[267] 


HEIDI 

doctor  continued  his  descent,  turning  now  and  again  to  look 
back,  and  each  time  he  saw  Heidi  standing  on  the  same  spot 
and  waving  her  hand  to  him.  Even  so  in  the  old  days  had  his 
own  dear  little  daughter  watched  him  when  he  went  from 
home. 

It  was  a  bright,  sunny  autumn  month.  The  doctor  came  up 
to  the  hut  every  morning,  and  thence  made  excursions  over  the 
mountain.  Aim-Uncle  accompanied  him  on  some  of  his  higher 
ascents,  when  they  climbed  up  to  the  ancient  storm-beaten  fir 
trees  and  often  disturbed  the  great  bird  which  rose  startled 
from  its  nest,  with  the  whirl  of  wings  and  croakings,  very  near 
their  heads.  The  doctor  found  great  pleasure  in  his  compan- 
ion's conversation,  and  was  astonished  at  his  knowledge  of  the 
plants  that  grew  on  the  mountain:  he  knew  the  uses  of  them 
all,  from  the  aromatic  fir  trees  and  the  dark  pines  with  their 
scented  needles,  to  the  curly  moss  that  sprang  up  everywhere 
about  the  roots  of  the  trees  and  the  smallest  plant  and  tiniest 
flower.  He  was  as  well  versed  also  in  the  ways  of  the  animals, 
great  and  small,  and  had  many  amusing  anecdotes  to  tell  of 
these  dwellers  in  caves  and  holes  and  in  the  tops  of  the  fir  trees. 
And  so  the  time  passed  pleasantly  and  quickly  for  the  doctor, 
who  seldom  said  good-bye  to  the  old  man  at  the  end  of  the  day 
without  adding,  "I  never  leave  you,  friend,  without  having 
learnt  something  new  from  you." 

On  some  of  the  very  finest  days,  however,  the  doctor  would 
wander  out  again  with  Heidi,  and  then  the  two  would  sit 
together  as  on  the  first  day,  and  the  child  would  repeat 
her  hymns  and  tell  the  doctor  things  which  she  alone  knew. 
Peter  sat  at  a  little  distance  from  them,  but  he  was  now 

[268] 


A  COMPENSATION 

quite  reconciled  in  spirit  and  gave  vent  to  no  angry  panto- 
mime. 

September  had  drawn  to  its  close,  and  now  one  morning  the 
doctor  appeared  looking  less  cheerful  than  usual.  It  was  his 
last  day,  he  said,  as  he  must  return  to  Frankfurt,  but  he  was 
grieved  at  having  to  say  good-bye  to  the  mountain,  where  he 
had  begun  to  feel  quite  at  home.  Aim-Uncle,  on  his  side, 
greatly  regretted  the  departure  of  his  guest,  and  Heidi  had 
been  now  accustomed  for  so  long  to  see  her  good  friend  every 
day  that  she  could  hardly  believe  the  time  had  suddenly  come 
to  separate.  She  looked  up  at  him  in  doubt,  taken  by  surprise, 
but  there  was  no  help,  he  must  go.  So  he  bid  farewell  to  the  old 
man  and  asked  that  Heidi  might  go  with  him  part  of  the  return 
way,  and  Heidi  took  his  hand  and  went  down  the  mountain 
with  him,  still  unable  to  grasp  the  idea  that  he  was  going  for 
good.  After  some  distance  the  doctor  stood  still,  and  passing 
his  hand  over  the  child's  curly  head  said,  "Now,  Heidi,  you 
must  go  back,  and  I  must  say  good-bye!  If  only  I  could  take 
you  with  me  to  Frankfurt  and  keep  you  there ! " 

The  picture  of  Frankfurt  rose  before  the  child's  eyes,  its 
rows  of  endless  houses,  its  hard  streets,  and  even  the  vision  of 
Fraulein  Rottenmeier  and  Tinette,  and  she  answered  hesitat- 
ingly, "I  would  rather  that  you  came  back  to  us." 

"Yes,  you  are  right,  that  would  be  better.  But  now  good- 
bye, Heidi."  The  child  put  her  hand  in  his  and  looked  up  at 
him;  the  kind  eyes  looking  down  on  her  had  tears  in  them. 
Then  the  doctor  tore  himself  away  and  quickly  continued  his 
descent. 

Heidi  remained  standing  without  moving.  The  friendly  eyes 

[  269  ] 


HEIDI 

with  the  tears  in  them  had  gone  to  her  heart.  All  at  once  she 
burst  into  tears  and  started  running  as  fast  as  she  could  after 
the  departing  figure,  calling  out  in  broken  tones:  "Doctor! 
doctor!" 

He  turned  round  and  waited  till  the  child  reached  him. 
The  tears  were  streaming  down  her  face  and  she  sobbed  out: 
"I  will  come  to  Frankfurt  with  you  now  at  once,  and  I  will 
stay  with  you  as  long  as  you  like,  only  I  must  just  run  back  and 
tell  grandfather." 

The  doctor  laid  his  hand  on  her  and  tried  to  calm  her  excite- 
ment. "No,  no,  dear  child,"  he  said  kindly,  "not  now;  you 
must  stay  for  the  present  under  the  fir  trees,  or  I  should  have 
you  ill  again.  But  hear  now  what  I  have  to  ask  you.  If  I  am 
ever  ill  and  alone,  will  you  come  then  and  stay  with  me? 
May  I  know  that  there  would  then  be  some  one  to  look  after 
me  and  care  for  me?" 

"Yes,  yes,  I  will  come  the  very  day  you  send  for  me,  and  I 
love  you  nearly  as  much  as  grandfather,"  replied  Heidi,  who 
had  not  yet  got  over  her  distress. 

And  so  the  doctor  again  bid  her  good-bye  and  started  on  his 
way,  while  Heidi  remained  looking  after  him  and  waving  her 
hand  as  long  as  a  speck  of  him  could  be  seen.  As  the  doctor 
turned  for  the  last  time  and  looked  back  at  the  waving  Heidi 
and  the  sunny  mountain,  he  said  to  himself,  "  It  is  good  to  be 
up  there,  good  for  body  and  soul,  and  a  man  might  learn  how 
to  be  happy  once  more." 


[270 


^^^wss&semsii)^sss«si«m^^euiim^ims^8&«^sgs^^^&isis) 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

WINTER  IN  DORFLI 

THE  snow  was  lying  so  high  around  the  hut  that  the 
windows  looked  level  with  the  ground,  and  the  door  had 
entirely  disappeared  from  view.  If  Aim-Uncle  had  been 
up  there  he  would  have  had  to  do  what  Peter  did  daily,  for 
fresh  snow  fell  every  night.  Peter  had  to  get  out  of  the  window 
of  the  sitting-room  every  morning,  and  if  the  frost  had  not 
been  very  hard  during  the  night,  he  immediately  sank  up  to 
his  shoulders  almost  in  the  snow  and  had  to  struggle  with 
hands,  feet,  and  head  to  extricate  himself.  Then  his  mother 
handed  him  the  large  broom,  and  with  this  he  worked  hard 
to  make  a  way  to  the  door.  He  had  to  be  careful  to  dig  the 
snow  well  away,  or  else  as  soon  as  the  door  was  opened  the 
whole  soft  mass  would  fall  inside,  or,  if  the  frost  was  severe 
enough,  it  would  have  made  such  a  wall  of  ice  in  front  of  the 
house  that  no  one  could  have  gone  in  or  out,  for  the  window 
was  only  big  enough  for  Peter  to  creep  through.  The  fresh 
snow  froze  like  this  in  the  night  sometimes,  and  this  was  an 
enjoyable  time  for  Peter,  for  he  would  get  through  the  window 
on  to  the  hard,  smooth,  frozen  ground,  and  his  mother  would 
hand  him  out  the  little  sleigh,  and  he  could  then  make  his 
descent  to  Dorfli  along  any  route  he  chose,  for  the  whole  moun- 
tain was  nothing  but  one  wide,  unbroken  sleigh  road. 

Aim-Uncle  had  kept  his  word  and  was  not  spending  the 

[273] 


HEIDI 

winter  in  his  old  home.  As  soon  as  the  first  snow  began  to  fall, 
he  had  shut  up  the  hut  and  the  outside  buildings  and  gone 
down  to  Dorfli  with  Heidi  and  the  goats.  Near  the  church  was 
a  straggling,  half-ruined  building,  which  had  once  been  the 
house  of  a  person  of  consequence.  A  distinguished  soldier  had 
lived  there  at  one  time;  he  had  taken  service  in  Spain  and  had 
there  performed  many  brave  deeds  and  gathered  much  treas- 
ure. When  he  returned  home  to  Dorfli  he  spent  part  of  his 
booty  in  building  a  fine  house,  with  the  intention  of  living  in  it. 
But  he  had  been  too  long  accustomed  to  the  noise  and  bustle 
of  arms  and  the  world  to  care  for  a  quiet  country  life,  and  he 
soon  went  off  again,  and  this  time  did  not  return.  When  after 
many  long  years  it  seemed  certain  that  he  was  dead,  a  distant 
relative  took  possession  of  the  house,  but  it  had  already  fallen 
into  disrepair,  and  he  had  no  wish  to  rebuild  it.  So  it  was  let 
to  poor  people,  who  paid  but  a  small  rent,  and  when  any  part 
of  the  building  fell  it  was  allowed  to  remain.  This  had  now 
gone  on  for  many  years.  As  long  ago  as  when  his  son  Tobias 
was  a  child  Aim-Uncle  had  rented  the  tumble-down  old  place. 
Since  then  it  had  stood  empty,  for  no  one  could  stay  in  it  who 
had  not  some  idea  of  how  to  stop  up  the  holes  and  gaps  and 
make  it  habitable.  Otherwise  the  wind  and  rain  and  snow 
blew  into  the  rooms,  so  that  it  was  impossible  even  to  keep  a 
candle  alight,  and  the  indwellers  would  have  been  frozen  to 
death  during  the  long  cold  winters.  Aim-Uncle,  however, 
knew  how  to  mend  matters.  As  soon  as  he  made  up  his  mind 
to  spend  the  winter  in  Dorfli  he  rented  the  old  place  and 
worked  during  the  autumn  to  get  it  sound  and  tight.  In  the 
middle  of  October  he  and  Heidi  took  up  their  residence  there. 

[274  ] 


WINTER  IN  DORFLI 

On  approaching  the  house  from  the  back  one  came  first  into 
an  open  space  with  a  wall  on  either  side,  of  which  one  was 
half  in  ruins.  Above  this  rose  the  arch  of  an  old  window 
thickly  overgrown  with  ivy,  which  spread  over  the  remains  of 
a  domed  roof  that  had  evidently  been  part  of  a  chapel.  A  large 
hall  came  next,  which  lay  open,  without  doors,  to  the  square 
outside.  Here  also  walls  and  roof  only  partially  remained,  and 
indeed  what  was  left  of  the  roof  looked  as  if  it  might  fall  at 
any  minute  had  it  not  been  for  two  stout  pillars  that  supported 
it.  Aim-Uncle  had  here  put  up  a  wooden  partition  and  covered 
the  floor  with  straw,  for  this  was  to  be  the  goats'  house.  End- 
less passages  led  from  this,  through  the  rents  of  which  the  sky 
as  well  as  the  fields  and  the  road  outside,  could  be  seen  at 
intervals;  but  at  last  one  came  to  a  stout  oak  door  that  led 
into  a  room  that  still  stood  intact.  Here  the  walls  and  the 
dark  wainscoting  remained  as  good  as  ever,  and  in  the  corner 
was  an  immense  stove  reaching  nearly  to  the  ceiling,  on  the 
white  tiles  of  which  were  painted  large  pictures  in  blue. 
These  represented  old  castles  surrounded  with  trees,  and  hunts- 
men riding  out  with  their  hounds;  or  else  a  quiet  lake  scene, 
with  broad  oak  trees  and  a  man  fishing.  A  seat  ran  all  round 
the  stove  so  that  one  could  sit  at  one's  ease  and  study  the 
pictures.  These  attracted  Heidi's  attention  at  once,  and  she 
had  no  sooner  arrived  with  her  grandfather  than  she  ran  and 
seated  herself  and  began  to  examine  them.  But  when  she  had 
gradually  worked  herself  round  to  the  back,  something  else 
diverted  her  attention.  In  the  large  space  between  the  stove 
and  the  wall  four  planks  had  been  put  together  as  if  to  make  a 
large  receptacle  for  apples;  there  were  no  apples,  however, 

[275  ] 


HEIDI 

inside,  but  something  Heidi  had  no  difficulty  in  recognizing, 
for  it  was  her  very  own  bed,  with  its  hay  mattress  and  sheets, 
and  sack  for  a  coverlid,  just  as  she  had  it  up  at  the  hut.  Heidi 
clapped  her  hands  for  joy  and  exclaimed,  "Oh,  grandfather, 
this  is  my  room,  how  nice!  But  where  are  you  going  to  sleep?" 

"Your  room  must  be  near  the  stove  or  you  will  freeze,"  he 
replied,  "but  you  can  come  and  see  mine  too." 

Heidi  got  down  and  skipped  across  the  large  room  after  her 
grandfather,  who  opened  a  door  at  the  farther  end  leading 
into  a  smaller  one,  which  was  to  be  his  bedroom.  Then  came 
another  door.  Heidi  pushed  it  open  and  stood  amazed,  for 
here  was  an  immense  room  like  a  kitchen,  larger  than  any- 
thing of  the  kind  that  Heidi  had  seen  before.  There  was  still 
plenty  of  work  for  the  grandfather  before  this  room  could  be 
finished,  for  there  were  holes  and  cracks  in  the  walls  through 
which  the  wind  whistled,  and  yet  he  had  already  nailed  up  so 
many  new  planks  that  it  looked  as  if  a  lot  of  small  cupboards 
had  been  set  up  round  the  room.  He  had,  however,  made  the 
large  old  door  safe  with  many  screws  and  nails,  as  a  protection 
against  the  outside  air,  and  this  was  very  necessary,  for  just 
beyond  was  a  mass  of  ruined  buildings  overgrown  with  tall 
weeds,  which  made  a  dwelling-place  for  endless  beetles  and 
lizards. 

Heidi  was  very  delighted  with  her  new  home,  and  by  the 
morning  after  their  arrival  she  knew  every  nook  and  corner  so 
thoroughly  that  she  could  take  Peter  over  it  and  show  him  all 
that  was  to  be  seen;  indeed,  she  would  not  let  him  go  till  he 
had  examined  every  single  wonderful  thing  contained  in  it. 

Heidi  slept  soundly  in  her  corner  by  the  stove,  but  every 

[  276  ] 


WINTER  IN  DORFLI 

morning  when  she  first  awoke  she  still  thought  she  was  on  the 
mountain,  and  that  she  must  run  outside  at  once  to  see  if  the 
fir  trees  were  so  quiet  because  their  branches  were  weighed 
down  with  the  thick  snow.  She  had  to  look  about  her  for  some 
minutes  before  she  felt  quite  sure  where  she  was,  and  a  certain 
sensation  of  trouble  and  oppression  would  come  over  her  as  she 
grew  aware  that  she  was  not  at  home  in  the  hut.  But  then  she 
would  hear  her  grandfather's  voice  outside,  attending  to  the 
goats,  and  these  would  give  one  or  two  loud  bleats,  as  if  calling 
to  her  to  make  haste  and  go  to  them,  and  then  Heidi  was  happy 
again,  for  she  knew  she  was  still  at  home,  and  she  would  jump 
gladly  out  of  bed  and  run  out  to  the  animals  as  quickly  as  she 
could.  On  the  fourth  morning,  as  soon  as  she  saw  her  grand- 
father, she  said,  "I  must  go  up  to  see  grandmother  to-day;  she 
ought  not  to  be  alone  so  long." 

But  the  grandfather  would  not  agree  to  this.  "Neither  to- 
day nor  to-morrow  can  you  go,"  he  said;  "the  mountain  is 
covered  fathom-deep  in  snow,  and  the  snow  is  still  falling;  the 
sturdy  Peter  can  hardly  get  along.  A  little  creature  like  you 
would  soon  be  smothered  by  it,  and  we  should  not  be  able  to 
find  you  again.  Wait  a  bit  till  it  freezes,  then  you  will  be  able 
to  walk  over  the  hard  snow."  " 

Heidi  did  not  like  the  thought  of  having  to  wait,  but  the  days 
were  so  busy  that  she  hardly  knew  how  they  went  by. 

Heidi  now  went  to  school  in  Dorfii  every  morning  and  after- 
noon, and  eagerly  set  to  work  to  learn  all  that  was  taught  her. 
She  hardly  ever  saw  Peter  there,  for  as  a  rule  he  was  absent. 
The  teacher  was  an  easygoing  man  who  merely  remarked  now 
and  then,  "Peter  is  not  turning  up  to-day  again,  it  seems,  but 

[277] 


HEIDI 

there  is  a  lot  of  snow  up  on  the  mountain  and  I  daresay  he 
cannot  get  along."  Peter,  however,  always  seemed  able  to 
make  his  way  through  the  snow  in  the  evening  when  school 
was  over,  and  he  then  generally  paid  Heidi  a  visit. 

At  last,  after  some  days,  the  sun  again  appeared  and  shone 
brightly  over  the  white  ground,  but  he  went  to  bed  again 
behind  the  mountains  at  a  very  early  hour,  as  if  he  did  not 
find  such  pleasure  in  looking  down  on  the  earth  as  when 
everything  was  green  and  flowery.  But  then  the  moon  came 
out  clear  and  large  and  lit  up  the  great  white  snowfield  all 
through  the  night,  and  the  next  morning  the  whole  mountain 
glistened  and  sparkled  like  a  huge  crystal.  When  Peter  got 
out  of  his  window  as  usual,  he  was  taken  by  surprise,  for 
instead  of  sinking  into  the  soft  snow  he  fell  on  the  hard  ground 
and  went  sliding  way  down  the  mountainside  like  a  sleigh 
before  he  could  stop  himself.  He  picked  himself  up  and  tested 
the  hardness  of  the  ground  by  stamping  on  it  and  trying  with 
all  his  might  to  dig  his  heels  into  it,  but  even  then  he  could  not 
break  off  a  single  little  splinter  of  ice;  the  Aim  was  frozen 
hard  as  iron.  This  was  just  what  Peter  had  been  hoping  for, 
as  he  knew  now  that  Heidi  would  be  able  to  come  up  to  them. 
He  quickly  got  back  into  the  house,  swallowed  the  milk  which 
his  mother  had  put  ready  for  him,  thrust  a  piece  of  bread  in 
his  pocket,  and  said,  "I  must  be  off  to  school."  "That's  right, 
go  and  learn  all  you  can,"  said  the  grandmother  encouragingly. 
Peter  crept  through  the  window  again — the  door  was  quite 
blocked  by  the  frozen  snow  outside — pulling  his  little  sleigh 
after  him,  and  in  another  minute  was  shooting  down  the 
mountain. 

[278] 


WINTER  IN  DORFLI 

He  went  like  lightning,  and  when  he  reached  Dorfli,  which 
stood  on  the  direct  road  to  Mayenfeld,  he  made  up  his  mind  to 
go  on  further,  for  he  was  sure  he  could  not  stop  his  rapid 
descent  without  hurting  himself  and  the  sleigh  too.  So  down 
he  still  went  till  he  reached  the  level  ground,  where  the  sleigh 
came  to  a  pause  of  its  own  accord.  Then  he  got  out  and  looked 
round.  The  impetus  with  which  he  had  made  his  journey  down 
had  carried  him  some  little  way  beyond  Mayenfeld.  He  be- 
thought himself  that  it  was  too  late  to  get  to  school  now,  as 
lessons  would  already  have  begun,  and  it  would  take  him  a 
good  hour  to  walk  back  to  Dorfli.  So  he  might  take  his  time 
about  returning,  which  he  did,  and  reached  Dorfli  just  as 
Heidi  had  got  home  from  school  and  was  sitting  at  dinner  with 
her  grandfather.  Peter  walked  in,  and  as  on  this  occasion  he 
had  something  particular  to  communicate,  he  began  without  a 
pause,  exclaiming  as  he  stood  still  in  the  middle  of  the  room, 
"  She's  got  it  now." 

"Got  it?  what?"  asked  the  Uncle.  "Your  words  sound 
quite  warlike,  general." 

"The  frost,"  explained  Peter. 

"Oh!  then  now  I  can  go  and  see  grandmother!"  said  Heidi 
joyfully,  for  she  had  understood  Peter's  words  at  once.  "But 
why  were  you  not  at  school  then?  You  could  have  come  down 
in  the  sleigh,"  she  added  reproachfully,  for  it  did  not  agree 
with  Heidi's  ideas  of  good  behavior  to  stay  away  when  it  was 
possible  to  be  there. 

"It  carried  me  on  too  far  and  I  was  too  late,"  Peter  replied. 

"I  call  that  being  a  deserter,"  said  the  Uncle,  "and  deserters 
get  their  ears  pulled,  as  you  know." 

[  279  ] 


HEIDI 

Peter  gave  a  tug  to  his  cap  in  alarm,  for  there  was  no  one  of 
whom  he  stood  in  so  much  awe  as  Aim-Uncle. 

"And  an  army  leader  like  yourself  ought  to  be  doubly 
ashamed  of  running  away,"  continued  Aim-Uncle.  "What 
would  you  think  of  your  goats  if  one  went  off  this  way  and 
another  that,  and  refused  to  follow  and  do  what  was  good  for 
them?  What  would  you  do  then?  " 

"I  should  beat  them,"  said  Peter  promptly. 

"And  if  a  boy  behaved  like  these  unruly  goats,  and  he  got  a 
beating  for  it,  what  would  you  say  then?" 

"Serve  him  right,"  was  the  answer. 

"Good,  then  understand  this:  next  time  you  let  your  sleigh 
carry  you  past  the  school  when  you  ought  to  be  inside  at  your 
lessons,  come  on  to  me  afterwards  and  receive  what  you  de- 
serve." 

Peter  now  understood  the  drift  of  the  old  man's  questions 
and  that  he  was  the  boy  who  behaved  like  the  unruly  goats, 
and  he  looked  somewhat  fearfully  towards  the  corner  to  see  if 
anything  happened  to  be  there  such  as  he  used  himself  on  such 
occasions  for  the  punishm    it  of  his  animals. 

But  now  the  grandfather  suddenly  said  in  a  cheerful  voice, 
"Come  and  sit  down  and  have  something,  and  afterwards 
Heidi  shall  go  with  you.  Bring  her  back  this  evening  and  you 
will  find  supper  waiting  for  you  here." 

This  unexpected  turn  of  conversation  set  Peter  grinning  all 
over  with  delight.  He  obeyed  without  hesitation  and  took  his 
seat  beside  Heidi.  But  the  child  could  not  eat  any  more  in  her 
excitement  at  the  thought  of  going  to  see  grandmother.  She 
pushed  the  potatoes  and  toasted  cheese  which  still  stood  on  her 

[280] 


WINTER  IN  DORFLI 

plate  towards  him  while  Uncle  was  filling  his  plate  from  the 
other  side,  so  that  he  had  quite  a  pile  of  food  in  front  of  him, 
but  he  attacked  it  without  any  lack  of  courage.  Heidi  ran  to 
the  cupboard  and  brought  out  the  warm  cloak  Clara  had  sent 
her;  with  this  on  and  the  hood  drawn  over  her  head,  she  was 
all  ready  for  her  journey.  She  stood  waiting  beside  Peter,  and 
as  soon  as  his  last  mouthful  had  disappeared  she  said,  "  Come 
along  now."  As  the  two  walked  together  Heidi  had  much  to 
tell  Peter  of  her  two  goats  that  had  been  so  unhappy  the  first 
day  in  their  new  stall  that  they  would  not  eat  anything,  but 
stood  hanging  their  heads,  not  even  rousing  themselves  to 
bleat.  And  when  she  asked  her  grandfather  the  reason  of  this, 
he  told  her  it  was  with  them  as  with  her  in  Frankfurt,  for  it 
was  the  first  time  in  their  lives  they  had  come  down  from  the 
mountain.  "And  you  don't  know  what  that  is,  Peter,  unless 
you  have  felt  it  yourself,"  added  Heidi. 

The  children  had  nearly  reached  their  destination  before 
Peter  opened  his  mouth ;  he  appeared  to  be  so  sunk  in  thought 
that  he  hardly  heard  what  was  said  to  him.  As  they  neared 
home,  however,  he  stood  still  and  said  in  a  somewhat  sullen 
voice,  "I  had  rather  go  to  school  even  than  get  what  Uncle 
threatened." 

Heidi  was  of  the  same  mind,  and  encouraged  him  in  his  good 
intention.  They  found  Brigitta  sitting  alone  knitting,  for  the 
grandmother  was  not  very  well  and  had  to  stay  the  day  in  bed 
on  account  of  the  cold.  Heidi  had  never  before  missed  the  old 
figure  in  her  place  in  the  corner,  and  she  ran  quickly  into  the 
next  room.  There  lay  grandmother  on  her  little  poorly  covered 
bed,  wrapped  up  in  her  warm  gray  shawl. 

[281  ] 


HEIDI 

"Thank  God,"  she  exclaimed  as  Heidi  came  running  in;  the 
poor  old  woman  had  had  a  secret  fear  at  heart  all  through  the 
autumn,  especially  if  Heidi  was  absent  for  any  length  of  time, 
for  Peter  had  told  her  of  a  strange  gentleman  who  had  come 
from  Frankfurt,  and  who  had  gone  out  with  them  and  always 
talked  to  Heidi,  and  she  had  felt  sure  he  had  come  to  take  her 
away  again.  Even  when  she  heard  he  had  gone  off  alone,  she 
still  had  an  idea  that  a  messenger  would  be  sent  over  from 
Frankfurt  to  fetch  the  child.  Heidi  went  up  to  the  side  of  the 
bed  and  said,  "Are  you  very  ill,  grandmother?" 

"No,  no,  child,"  answered  the  old  woman  reassuringly, 
passing  her  hand  lovingly  over  the  child's  head.  "It's  only  the 
frost  that  has  got  into  my  bones  a  bit." 

"  Shall  you  be  quite  well  then  directly  it  turns  warm  again?  " 

"Yes,  God  willing,  or  even  before  that,  for  I  want  to  get 
back  to  my  spinning;  I  thought  perhaps  I  should  do  a  little 
to-day,  but  to-morrow  I  am  sure  to  be  all  right  again."  The 
old  woman  had  detected  that  Heidi  was  frightened  and  was 
anxious  to  set  her  mind  at  ease. 

Her  words  comforted  Heidi,  who  had  in  truth  been  greatly 
distressed,  for  she  had  never  before  seen  the  grandmother  ill  in 
bed.  She  now  looked  at  the  old  woman  seriously  for  a  minute 
or  two,  and  then  said,  "In  Frankfurt  everybody  puts  on  a 
shawl  to  go  out  walking;  did  you  think  it  was  to  be  worn  in  bed, 
grandmother?" 

"I  put  it  on,  dear  child,  to  keep  myself  from  freezing,  and  I 
am  so  pleased  with  it,  for  my  bedclothes  are  not  very  thick," 
she  answered. 

"But,  grandmother,"  continued  Heidi,  "your  bed  is  not 

[282] 


WINTER  IN  DORFLI 

right,   because  it  goes  downhill    at   your    head    instead    of 
uphill." 

"I  know  it,  child,  I  can  feel  it,"  and  the  grandmother  put  up 
her  hand  to  the  thin  flat  pillow,  which  was  little  more  than  a 
board  under  her  head,  to  make  herself  more  comfortable; 
"the  pillow  was  never  very  thick,  and  I  have  lain  on  it  now  for 
so  many  years  that  it  has  grown  quite  flat." 

"Oh,  if  only  I  had  asked  Clara  to  let  me  take  away  my 
Frankfurt  bed,"  said  Heidi.  "I  had  three  large  pillows,  one 
above  the  other,  so  that  I  could  hardly  sleep,  and  I  used  to  slip 
down  to  try  and  find  a  flat  place,  and  then  I  had  to  pull  myself 
up  again,  because  it  was  proper  to  sleep  there  like  that.  Could 
you  sleep  like  that,  grandmother?" 

"Oh,  yes!  the  pillows  keep  one  warm,  and  it  is  easier  to 
breathe  when  the  head  is  high,"  answered  the  grandmother, 
wearily  raising  her  head  as  she  spoke  as  if  trying  to  find  a 
higher  resting-place.  "But  we  will  not  talk  about  that,  for  I 
have  so  much  that  other  old  sick  people  are  without  for  which 
I  thank  God;  there  is  the  nice  bread  I  get  every  day,  and 
this  warm  wrap,  and  your  visits,  Heidi.  Will  you  read  me 
something  to-day?" 

Heidi  ran  into  the  next  room  to  fetch  the  hymn  book.  Then 
she  picked  out  the  favorite  hymns  one  after  another,  for  she 
knew  them  all  by  heart  now,  as  pleased  as  the  grandmother  to 
hear  them  again  after  so  many  days.  The  grandmother  lay 
with  folded  hands,  while  a  smile  of  peace  stole  over  the  worn, 
troubled  face,  like  one  to  whom  good  news  has  been  brought. 

Suddenly  Heidi  paused.  "Grandmother,  are  you  feeling 
quite  well  again  already? " 

[283] 


HEIDI 

"Yes,  child,  I  have  grown  better  while  listening  to  you;  read 
it  to  the  end." 

The  child  read  on,  and  when  she  came  to  the  last  words: 

"  As  the  eyes  grow  dim,  and  darkness 
Closes  round,  the  soul  grows  clearer, 
Sees  the  goal  to  which  it  travels, 
Gladly  feels  its  home  is  nearer." 

the  grandmother  repeated  them  once  or  twice  to  herself,  with  a 
look  of  happy  expectation  on  her  face.  And  Heidi  took  equal 
pleasure  in  them,  for  the  picture  of  the  beautiful  sunny  day  of 
her  return  home  rose  before  her  eyes,  and  she  exclaimed  joy- 
fully, "Grandmother,  I  know  exactly  what  it  is  like  to  go 
home."  The  old  woman  did  not  answer,  but  she  had  heard 
Heidi's  words,  and  the  expression  that  had  made  the  child 
think  she  was  better  remained  on  her  face. 

A  little  later  Heidi  said,  "It  is  growing  dark  and  I  must  go 
home;  I  am  glad  to  think  that  you  are  quite  well  again." 

The  grandmother  took  the  child's  hand  in  hers  and  held  it 
closely.  "Yes,"  she  said,  "I  feel  quite  happy  again;  even  if  I 
have  to  go  on  lying  here,  I  am  content.  No  one  knows  what  it 
is  to  lie  here  alone  day  after  day,  in  silence  and  darkness,  with- 
out hearing  a  voice  or  seeing  a  ray  of  light.  Sad  thoughts  come 
over  me,  and  I  do  not  feel  sometimes  as  if  I  could  bear  it  any 
longer  or  as  if  it  could  ever  be  light  again.  But  when  you  come 
and  read  those  words  to  me,  then  I  am  comforted  and  my  heart 
rejoices  once  more." 

Then  she  let  the  child  go,  and  Heidi  ran  into  the  next  room, 
and  bid  Peter  come  quickly,  for  it  had  now  grown  quite  dark. 
But  when  they  got  outside  they  found  the  moon  shining  down 

[  284  ] 


©DM^K 


Down  the  mountain  thev  shot  like  two  birds 
darting  through  the  air.     (P^g?  285) 


\ 


WINTER  IN  DORFLI 

on  the  white  snow  and  everything  as  clear  as  in  the  daylight. 
Peter  got  his  sleigh,  put  Heidi  at  the  back,  he  himself  sitting 
in  front  to  guide,  and  down  the  mountain  they  shot  like  two 
birds  darting  through  the  air. 

When  Heidi  was  lying  that  night  on  her  high  bed  of  hay,  she 
thought  of  the  grandmother  on  her  low  pillow,  and  of  all  she 
had  said  about  the  light  and  comfort  that  awoke  in  her  when 
she  heard  the  hymns,  and  she  thought :  if  I  could  read  to  her 
every  day,  then  I  should  go  on  making  her  better.  But  she 
knew  that  it  would  be  a  week,  if  not  two,  before  she  would  be 
able  to  go  up  the  mountain  again.  This  was  a  thought  of  great 
trouble  to  Heidi,  and  she  tried  hard  to  think  of  some  way  which 
would  enable  the  grandmother  to  hear  the  words  she  loved 
every  day.  Suddenly  an  idea  struck  her,  and  she  was  so 
delighted  with  it  that  she  could  hardly  bear  to  wait  for  morn- 
ing, so  eager  was  she  to  begin  carrying  out  her  plan.  All  at 
once  she  sat  upright  in  her  bed,  for  she  had  been  so  busy  with 
her  thoughts  that  she  had  forgotten  to  say  her  prayers,  and 
she  never  now  finished  her  day  without  saying  them. 

When  she  had  prayed  with  all  her  heart  for  herself,  her 
grandfather  and  grandmother,  she  lay  back  again  on  the  warm 
soft  hay- and  slept  soundly  and  peacefully  till  morning  broke. 


[285] 


CHAPTER  XIX 
THE  WINTER  CONTINUES 

PETER  arrived  punctually  at  school  the  following  day. 
He  had  brought  his  dinner  with  him,  for  all  the  children 
who  lived  at  a  distance  regularly  seated  themselves  at 
mid-day  on  the  tables,  and  resting  their  feet  firmly  on  the 
benches,  spread  out  their  meal  on  their  knees  and  so  ate  their 
dinner,  while  those  living  in  Dorfli  went  home  for  theirs.  'Till 
one  o'clock  they  might  all  do  as  they  liked,  and  then  school 
began  again.  When  Peter  had  finished  his  lessons  on  the 
days  he  attended  school,  he  went  over  to  Uncle's  to  see  Heidi. 

When  he  walked  into  the  large  room  at  Uncle's  to-day, 
Heidi  immediately  rushed  forward  and  took  hold  of  him,  for  it 
was  for  Peter  she  had  been  waiting.  "I've  thought  of  some- 
thing, Peter,"  s"he  said  hastily. 

"What  is  it?"  he  asked. 

"You  must  learn  to  read,"  she  informed  him. 

"I  have  learnt,"  was  the  answer. 

"Yes,  yes,  but  I  mean  so  that  you  can  really  make  use  of  it," 
continued  Heidi  eagerly. 

"I  never  shall,"  was  the  prompt  reply. 

"Nobody  believes  that  you  cannot  learn,  nor  I  either  now," 
said  Heidi  in  a  very  decided  tone  of  voice.  "Grandmamma  in 
Frankfurt  said  long  ago  that  it  was  not  true,  and  she  told  me 
not  to  believe  you." 

[289  ] 


HEIDI 

Peter  looked  rather  taken  aback  at  this  piece  of  intelli- 
gence. 

"I  will  soon  teach  you  to  read,  for  I  know  how,"  continued 
Heidi.  "You  must  learn  at  once,  and  then  you  can  read  one  or 
two  hymns  every  day  to  grandmother." 

"Oh,  I  don't  care  about  that,"  he  grumbled  in  reply. 

This  hard-hearted  way  of  refusing  to  agree  to  what  was 
right  and  kind,  and  to  what  Heidi  had  so  much  at  heart, 
aroused  her  anger.  With  flashing  eyes  she  stood  facing  the  boy 
and  said  threateningly,  "If  you  won't  learn  as  I  want  you  to,  I 
will  tell  you  what  will  happen;  you  know  your  mother  has 
often  spoken  of  sending  you  to  Frankfurt,  that  you  may  learn 
a  lot  of  things,  and  I  know  where  the  boys  there  have  to  go  to 
school;  Clara  pointed  out  the  great  house  to  me  when  we  were 
driving  together.  And  they  don't  only  go  when  they  are  boys, 
but  have  more  lessons  still  when  they  are  grown  men.  I  have 
seen  them  myself,  and  you  mustn't  think  they  have  only  one 
kind  teacher  like  we  have.  There  are  ever  so  many  of  them,  all 
in  the  school  at  the  same  time,  and  they  are  all  dressed  in 
black,  as  if  they  were  going  to  church,  and  have  black  hats  on 
their  heads  as  high  as  that — "  and  Heidi  held  out  her  hand  to 
show  their  height  from  the  floor. 

Peter  felt  a  cold  shudder  run  down  his  back. 

"And  you  will  have  to  go  in  among  all  those  gentlemen," 
continued  Heidi  with  increasing  animation,  "and  when  it 
comes  to  your  turn  you  won't  be  able  to  read  and  will  make 
mistakes  in  your  spelling.  Then  you'll  see  how  they'll  make 
fun  of  you;  even  worse  than  Tinette,  and  you  ought  to  have 
seen  what  she  was  like  when  she  was  scornful." 

[290] 


THE  WINTER  CONTINUES 

"Well,  I'll  learn  then,"  said  Peter,  half  sorrowfully  and  half 
angrily. 

Heidi  was  instantly  mollified.  "That's  right,  then  we'll  be- 
gin at  once,"  she  said  cheerfully,  and  went  busily  to  work  on 
the  spot,  dragging  Peter  to  the  table  and  fetching  her  books. 

Among  other  presents  Clara  had  sent  Heidi  a  book  which 
the  latter  had  decided,  in  bed  the  night  before,  would  serve 
capitally  for  teaching  Peter,  for  it  was  an  A  B  C  book  with 
rhyming  lines.  And  now  the  two  sat  together  at  the  table 
with  their  heads  bent  over  the  book,  for  the  lesson  had 
begun. 

Peter  was  made  to  spell  out  the  first  sentence  two  or  three 
times  over,  for  Heidi  wished  him  to  get  it  correct  and  fluent. 
At  last  she  said,  "You  don't  seem  able  to  get  it  right,  but  I  will 
read  it  aloud  to  you  once;  when  you  know  what  it  ought  to  be 
you  will  find  it  easier."   And  she  read  out: — 

ABC  must  be  learnt  to-day 

Or  the  judge  will  call  you  up  to  pay. 

"I  shan't  go,"  said  Peter  obstinately. 

"Go  where?"  asked  Heidi. 

"Before  the  judge,"  he  answered. 

"Well  then  make  haste  and  learn  these  three  letters,  then 
you  won't  have  to  go." 

Peter  went  at  his  task  again  and  repeated  the  three  letters  so 
many  times  and  with  such  determination  that  she  said  at 
last, — 

"You  must  know  those  three  now." 

Seeing  what  an  effect  the  first  two  lines  of  verse  had  had 

[291  ] 


HEIDI 

upon  him,  she  thought  she  would  prepare  the  ground  a  little 
for  the  following  lessons. 

"Wait,  and  I  will  read  you  some  of  the  next  sentences,"  she 
continued,  "then  you  will  see  what  else  there  is  to  expect." 

And  she  began  in  a  clear,  slow  voice: — 

D  E  F  G  must  run  with  ease 

Or  something  will  follow  that  does  not  please. 

Should  H  I  J  K  be  now  forgot 
Disgrace  is  yours  upon  the  spot. 

And  then  L  M  must  follow  at  once 

Or  punished  you'll  be  for  a  sorry  dunce. 

If  you  knew  what  next  awaited  you 
You'd  haste  to  learn  N  O  P  Q. 

Now  RSTbe  quick  about 

Or  worse  will  follow  there's  little  doubt. 

Heidi  paused,  for  Peter  was  so  quiet  that  she  looked  to  see 
what  he  was  doing.  These  many  secret  threats  and  hints  of 
dreadful  punishments  had  so  affected  him  that  he  sat  as  if 
petrified  and  stared  at  Heidi  with  horror-stricken  eyes.  Her 
kind  heart  was  moved  at  once,  and  she  said,  wishing  to  reassure 
him,  "You  need  not  be  afraid,  Peter;  come  here  to  me  every 
evening,  and  if  you  learn  as  you  have  to-day  you  will  at  last 
know  all  your  letters,  and  the  other  things  won't  come.  But 
you  must  come  regularly,  not  now  and  then  as  you  do  to  school; 
even  if  it  snows  it  won't  hurt  you." 

Peter  promised,  for  the  trepidation  he  had  been  in  had  made 
him  quite  tame  and  docile.  Lessons  being  finished  for  this  day 
he  now  went  home. 

[292] 


THE  WINTER  CONTINUES 

Peter  obeyed  Heidi's  instructions  punctually,  and  every 
evening  went  diligently  to  work  to  learn  the  following  letters, 
taking  the  sentences  thoroughly  to  heart.  The  grandfather  was 
frequently  in  the  room  smoking  his  pipe  comfortably  while  the 
lesson  was  going  on,  and  his  face  twitched  occasionally  as  if  he 
was  overtaken  with  a  sudden  fit  of  merriment.  Peter  was  often 
invited  to  stay  to  supper  after  the  great  exertion  he  had  gone 
through,  which  richly  compensated  him  for  the  anguish  of  mind 
he  had  suffered  with  the  sentence  for  the  day. 

So  the  winter  went  by,  and  Peter  really  made  progress  with 
his  letters;  but  he  went  through  a  terrible  fight  each  day  with 
the  sentences. 

He  had  got  at  last  to  U.  Heidi  read  out: — 

And  if  you  put  the  U  for  V, 

You'll  go  where  you  would  not  like  to  be. 

Peter  growled,  "Yes,  but  I  shan't  go!"  But  he  was  very 
diligent  that  day,  as  if  under  the  impression  that  some  one 
would  seize  him  suddenly  by  the  collar  and  drag  him  where  he 
would  rather  not  go. 

The  next  evening  Heidi  read : — 

If  you  falter  at  W,  worst  of  all, 
Look  at  the  stick  against  the  wall. 

Peter  looked  at  the  wall  and  said  scornfully,  "There  isn't 
one." 

"Yes,  but  do  you  know  what  grandfather  has  in  his  box?" 
asked  Heidi.  "A  stick  as  thick  almost  as  your  arm,  and  if  he 
took  that  out,  you  might  well  say,  look  at  the  stick  on  the 
wall." 

[293] 


HEIDI 

Peter  knew  that  thick  hazel  stick,  and  immediately  bent  his 
head  over  the  W  and  struggled  to  master  it. 
Another  day  the  lines  ran: — 

Then  comes  the  X  for  you  to  say 
Or  be  sure  you'll  get  no  food  to-day. 

Peter  looked  towards  the  cupboard  where  the  bread  and 
cheese  were  kept  and  said  crossly,  "I  never  said  that  I  should 
forget  the  X." 

"That's  all  right;  if  you  don't  forget  it  we  can  go  on  to 
learn  the  next,  and  then  you  will  only  have  one  more,"  replied 
Heidi,  anxious  to  encourage  him. 

Peter  did  not  quite  understand,  but  when  Heidi  went  on  and 

read : — 

And  should  you  make  a  stop  at  Y 
They'll  point  at  you  and  cry,  Fie,  fie. 

All  the  gentlemen  in  Frankfurt  with  tall  black  hats  on  their 
heads,  and  scorn  and  mockery  in  their  faces  rose  up  before  his 
mind's  eye,  and  he  threw  himself  with  energy  on  the  Y,  not 
letting  it  go  till  at  last  he  knew  it  so  thoroughly  that  he  could 
see  what  it  was  like  even  when  he  shut  his  eyes. 

He  arrived  on  the  following  day  in  a  somewhat  lofty  frame 
of  mind,  for  there  was  now  only  one  letter  to  struggle  over,  and 
when  Heidi  began  the  lesson  with  reading  aloud: — 

Make  haste  with  Z,  if  you're  too  slow 
Off  to  the  Hottentots  you'll  go. 

Peter  remarked  scornfully,  "I  dare  say,  when  no  one  knows 
even  where  such  people  live." 

"I  assure  you,  Peter,"  replied  Heidi,  "grandfather  knows  all 

[294] 


THE  WINTER  CONTINUES 

about  them.  Wait  a  second  and  I  will  run  and  ask  him,  for  he 
is  only  over  the  way  with  the  pastor."  And  she  rose  and  ran 
to  the  door  to  put  her  words  into  action,  but  Peter  cried  out  in 
a  voice  of  agony, — 

"  Stop ! "  for  he  already  saw  himself  being  carried  off  by  Aim- 
Uncle  and  the  pastor  and  sent  straight  away  to  the  Hottentots, 
since  as  yet  he  did  not  know  his  last  letter.  His  cry  of  fear 
brought  Heidi  back. 

"What  is  the  matter?"  she  asked  in  astonishment. 

"Nothing!  come  back!  I  am  going  to  learn  my  letter,"  he 
said,  stammering  with  fear.  Heidi,  however,  herself  wished  to 
know  where  the  Hottentots  lived  and  persisted  that  she  should 
ask  her  grandfather,  but  she  gave  in  at  last  to  Peter's  despair- 
ing entreaties.  She  insisted  on  his  doing  something  in  return, 
and  so  not  only  had  he  to  repeat  his  Z  until  it  was  so  fixed  in  his 
memory  that  he  could  never  forget  it  again,  but  she  began 
teaching  him  to  spell,  and  Peter  really  made  a  good  start  that 
evening.    So  it  went  on  from  day  to  day. 

The  frost  had  gone  and  the  snow  was  soft  again,  and  more- 
over fresh  snow  continually  fell,  so  that  it  was  quite  three 
weeks  before  Heidi  could  go  to  the  grandmother  again.  So 
much  the  more  eagerly  did  she  pursue  her  teaching  so  that 
Peter  might  compensate  for  her  absence  by  reading  hymns  to 
the  old  woman.  One  evening  he  walked  in  home  after  leaving 
Heidi,  and  as  he  entered  he  said,  "I  can  do  it  now." 

"Do  what,  Peter?"  asked  his  mother. 

"Read,"  he  answered. 

"  Do  you  really  mean  it?  Did  you  hear  that,  grandmother?" 
she  called  out. 

[295] 


HEIDI 

The  grandmother  had  heard,  and  was  already  wondering 
how  such  a  thing  could  have  come  to  pass. 

"I  must  read  one  of  the  hymns  now;  Heidi  told  me  to,"  he 
went  on  to  inform  them.  His  mother  hastily  fetched  the  book, 
and  the  grandmother  lay  in  joyful  expectation,  for  it  was  so 
long  since  she  had  heard  the  good  words.  Peter  sat  down  to  the 
table  and  began  to  read.  His  mother  sat  beside  him  listening 
with  surprise  and  exclaiming  at  the  close  of  each  verse,  "  Who 
would  have  thought  it  possible!" 

The  grandmother  did  not  speak  though  she  followed  the 
words  he  read  with  strained  attention. 

It  happened  on  the  day  following  this  that  there  was  a  read- 
ing lesson  in  Peter's  class.  When  it  came  to  his  turn,  the 
teacher  said, — 

"We  must  pass  over  Peter  as  usual,  or  will  you  try  again 
once  more — I  will  not  say  to  read,  but  to  stammer  through  a 
sentence." 

Peter  took  the  book  and  read  off  three  lines  without  the 
slightest  hesitation. 

The  teacher  put  down  his  book  and  stared  at  Peter  as  at 
some  out-of-the-way  and  marvellous  thing  unseen  before.  At 
last  he  spoke, — 

"Peter,  some  miracle  has  been  performed  upon  you!  Here 
have  I  been  striving  with  unheard-of  patience  to  teach  you  and 
you  have  not  hitherto  been  able  to  say  your  letters  even.  And 
now,  just  as  I  had  made  up  my  mind  not  to  waste  any  more 
trouble  upon  you,  you  suddenly  are  able  to  read  a  consecutive 
sentence  properly  and  distinctly.  How  has  such  a  miracle 
come  to  pass  in  our  days?" 

[296] 


THE  WINTER  CONTINUES 

"It  was  Heidi,"  answered  Peter. 

The  teacher  looked  in  astonishment  towards  Heidi,  who  was 
sitting  innocently  on  her  bench  with  no  appearance  of  any- 
thing supernatural  about  her.  He  continued,  "I  have  noticed 
a  change  in  you  altogether,  Peter.  Whereas  formerly  you  often 
missed  coming  to  school  for  a  week,  or  even  weeks  at  a  time, 
you  have  lately  not  stayed  away  a  single  day.  Who  has 
wrought  this  change  for  good  in  you?" 

"It  was  Uncle,"  answered  Peter. 

With  increasing  surprise  the  teacher  looked  from  Peter  to 
Heidi  and  back  again  at  Peter. 

"We  will  try  once  more,"  he  said  cautiously,  and  Peter  had 
again  to  show  off  his  accomplishment  by  reading  another  three 
lines.  There  was  no  mistake  about  it — Peter  could  read.  As 
soon  as  school  was  over  the  teacher  went  over  to  the  pastor  to 
tell  him  this  piece  of  news,  and  to  inform  him  of  the  happy 
result  of  Heidi's  and  the  grandfather's  combined  efforts. 

Every  evening  Peter  read  one  hymn  aloud ;  so  far  he  obeyed 
Heidi.  Nothing  would  induce  him  to  read  a  second,  and  indeed 
the  grandmother  never  asked  for  it.  His  mother  Brigitta  could 
not  get  over  her  surprise  at  her  son's  attainment,  and  when  the 
reader  was  in  bed  would  often  express  her  pleasure  at  it. 
"Now  he  has  learnt  to  read  there  is  no  knowing  what  may  be 
made  of  him  yet." 

On  one  of  these  occasions  the  grandmother  answered,  "Yes, 
it  is  good  for  him  to  have  learnt  something,  but  I  shall  indeed 
be  thankful  when  spring  is  here  again  and  Heidi  can  come; 
they  are  not  like  the  same  hymns  when  Peter  reads  them. 
So  many  words  seem  missing,  and  I  try  to  think  what  they 

[  297] 


HEIDI 

ought  to  be  and  then  I  lose  the  sense,  and  so  the  hymns  do  not 
come  home  to  my  heart  as  when  Heidi  reads  them." 

The  truth  was  that  Peter  arranged  to  make  his  reading  as 
little  troublesome  for  himself  as  possible.  When  he  came  upon 
a  word  that  he  thought  was  too  long  or  difficult  in  any  other 
way,  he  left  it  out,  for  he  decided  that  a  word  or  two  less  in 
a  verse,  where  there  were  so  many  of  them,  could  make  no 
difference  to  his  grandmother.  And  so  it  came  about  that 
most  of  the  principal  words  were  missing  in  the  hymns  that 
Peter  read  aloud. 


[298] 


asBSSS5sassssa5S8®i8i»!BS!flnKssnass^^S3^j 


V' 


■&miss!msi^^ssiise^iesstssieitss^&isi^^si^^^ssi^^>iissS^ 


CHAPTER  XX 
NEWS  FROM  DISTANT  FRIENDS 

IT  was  the  month  of  May.  From  every  height  the  full  fresh 
streams  of  spring  were  flowing  down  into  the  valley.  The 
clear  warm  sunshine  lay  upon  the  mountain,  which  had 
turned  green  again.  The  last  snows  had  disappeared  and  the 
sun  had  already  coaxed  many  of  the  flowers  to  show  their 
bright  heads  above  the  grass.  Up  above  the  gay  young  wind  of 
spring  was  singing  through  the  fir  trees,  and  shaking  down  the 
old  dark  needles  to  make  room  for  the  new  bright  green  ones 
that  were  soon  to  deck  out  the  trees  in  their  spring  finery. 
Higher  up  still  the  great  bird  went  circling  round  in  the  blue 
ether  as  of  old,  while  the  golden  sunshine  lit  up  the  grand- 
father's hut,  and  all  the  ground  about  it  was  warm  and  dry 
again  so  that  one  might  sit  out  where  one  liked.  Heidi  was  at 
home  again  on  the  mountain,  running  backwards  and  forwards 
in  her  accustomed  way,  not  knowing  which  spot  was  most 
delightful.  Now  she  stood  still  to  listen  to  the  deep,  mysterious 
voice  of  the  wind,  as  it  blew  down  to  her  from  the  mountain 
summits,  coming  nearer  and  nearer  and  gathering  strength  as 
it  came,  till  it  broke  with  force  against  the  fir  trees,  bending 
and  shaking  them,  and  seeming  to  shout  for  joy,  so  that  she  too, 
though  blown  about  like  a  feather,  felt  she  must  join  in  the 
chorus  of  exulting  sounds.  Then  she  would  run  round  again  to 
the  sunny  space  in  front  of  the  hut,  and  seating  herself  on  the 

[301] 


HEIDI 

ground  would  peer  closely  into  the  short  grass  to  see  how  many 
little  flower  cups  were  open  or  thinking  of  opening.  She 
rejoiced  with  all  the  myriad  little  beetles  and  winged  insects 
that  jumped  and  crawled  and  danced  in  the  sun,  and  drew  in 
deep  draughts  of  the  spring  scents  that  rose  from  the  newly 
awakened  earth,  and  thought  the  mountain  was  more  beautiful 
than  ever.  All  the  tiny  living  creatures  must  be  as  happy  as 
she,  for  it  seemed  to  her  there  were  little  voices  all  round  her 
singing  and  humming  in  joyful  tones,  "On  the  mountain!  on 
the  mountain!" 

From  the  shed  at  the  back  came  the  sound  of  sawing  and 
chopping,  and  Heidi  listened  to  it  with  pleasure,  for  it  was  the 
old  familiar  sound  she  had  known  from  the  beginning  of  her 
life  up  here.  Suddenly  she  jumped  up  and  ran  round,  for  she 
must  know  what  her  grandfather  was  doing.  In  front  of  the, 
shed  door  already  stood  a  finished  new  chair,  and  a  second  was 
in  course  of  construction  under  the  grandfather's  skilful  hand. 

"Oh,  I  know  what  these  are  for,"  exclaimed  Heidi  in  great 
glee.  "We  shall  want  them  when  they  all  come  from  Frankfurt. 
This  one  is  for  Grandmamma,  and  the  one  you  are  now  making 
is  for  Clara,  and  then — then  there  will,  I  suppose,  have  to  be 
another,"  continued  Heidi  with  more  hesitation  in  her  voice, 
"or  do  you  think,  grandfather,  that  perhaps  Fraulein  Rotten- 
meier  will  not  come  with  them?" 

"Well,  I  cannot  say  just  yet,"  replied  her  grandfather,  "but 
it  will  be  safer  to  make  one  so  that  we  can  offer  her  a  seat  if 
she  does." 

Heidi  looked  thoughtfully  at  the  plain  wooden  chair  without 
arms  as  if  trying  to  imagine  how  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  and 

[302] 


NEWS  FROM  DISTANT  FRIENDS 

a  chair  of  this  sort  would  suit  one  another.  After  a  few  min- 
utes' contemplation,  "Grandfather,"  she  said,  shaking  her 
head  doubtfully,  "I  don't  think  she  would  be  able  to  sit  on 
that." 

"Then  we  will  invite  her  on  the  couch  with  the  beauti- 
ful green  turf  feather-bed,"  was  her  grandfather's  quiet 
rejoinder. 

While  Heidi  was  pausing  to  consider  what  this  might  be, 
there  approached  from  above  a  whistling,  calling,  and  other 
sounds  which  Heidi  immediately  recognized.  She  ran  out  and 
found  herself  surrounded  by  her  four-footed  friends.  They 
were  apparently  as  pleased  as  she  was  to  be  among  the  heights 
again,  for  they  leaped  about  and  bleated  for  joy,  pushing 
Heidi  this  way  and  that,  each  anxious  to  express  his  delight 
with  some  sign  of  affection.  But  Peter  sent  them  flying  to  right 
and  left,  for  he  had  something  to  give  to  Heidi.  When  he  at 
last  got  up  to  her  he  handed  her  a  letter. 

"There!"  he  exclaimed,  leaving  the  further  explanation  of 
the  matter  to  Heidi  herself. 

"Did  some  one  give  you  this  while  you  were  out  with  the 
goats?  "  she  asked,  in  her  surprise. 

"No,"  was  the  answer. 

"Where  did  you  get  it  from  then?" 

"I  found  it  in  the  dinner  bag." 

Which  was  true  to  a  certain  extent.  The  letter  to  Heidi  had 
been  given  him  the  evening  before  by  the  postman  at  Dorfli, 
and  Peter  had  put  it  into  his  empty  bag.  That  morning  he  had 
stuffed  his  bread  and  cheese  on  the  top  of  it,  and  had  forgotten 
it  when  he  fetched  Aim-Uncle's  two  goats;  only  when  he  had 

[303] 


HEIDI 

finished  his  bread  and  cheese  at  mid-day  and  was  searching  in 
the  bag  for  any  last  crumbs  did  he  remember  the  letter  which 
lay  at  the  bottom. 

Heidi  read  the  address  carefully;  then  she  ran  back  to 
the  shed  holding  out  her  letter  to  her  grandfather  in  high 
glee.  "From  Frankfurt!  from  Clara!  Would  you  like  to 
hear  it?" 

The  grandfather  was  ready  and  pleased  to  do  so,  as  also 
Peter,  who  had  followed  Heidi  into  the  shed.  He  leant  his  back 
against  the  door  post,  as  he  felt  he  could  follow  Heidi's  reading 
better  if  firmly  supported  from  behind,  and  so  stood  prepared 
to  listen. 

"Dearest  Heidi, — Everything  is  packed  and  we  shall  start 
now  in  two  or  three  days,  as  soon  as  papa  himself  is  ready  to 
leave;  he  is  not  coming  with  us,  as  he  has  first  to  go  to  Paris. 
The  doctor  comes  every  day,  and  as  soon  as  he  is  inside  the 
door,  he  cries, '  Off  now  as  quickly  as  you  can,  off  to  the  moun- 
tain.' He  is  most  impatient  about  our  going.  You  cannot 
think  how  much  he  enjoyed  himself  when  he  was  with  you! 
He  has  called  nearly  every  day  this  winter,  and  each  time  he 
has  come  into  my  room  and  said  he  must  tell  me  about  every- 
thing again.  And  then  he  sits  down  and  describes  all  he  did 
with  you  and  the  grandfather,  and  talks  of  the  mountains  and 
the  flowers  and  of  the  great  silence  up  there  far  above  all  towns 
and  the  villages,  and  of  the  fresh  delicious  air,  and  often  adds, 
'No  one  can  help  getting  well  up  there.'  He  himself  is  quite  a 
different  man  since  his  visit,  and  looks  quite  young  again  and 
happy,  which  he  had  not  been  for  a  long  time  before.    Oh, 

[304  ] 


NEWS  FROM  DISTANT  FRIENDS 

how  I  am  looking  forward  to  seeing  everything  and  to  being 
with  you  on  the  mountain,  and  to  making  the  acquaintance  of 
Peter  and  the  goats. 

"I  shall  have  first  to  go  through  a  six  weeks'  cure  at  Ragatz; 
this  the  doctor  has  ordered,  and  then  we  shall  move  up  to 
Dbrfli,  and  every  fine  day  I  shall  be  carried  up  the  mountain  in 
my  chair  and  spend  the  day  with  you.  Grandmamma  is  travel- 
ling with  me  and  will  remain  with  me;  she  also  is  delighted  at 
the  thought  of  paying  you  a  visit.  But  just  imagine,  Fraulein 
Rottenmeier  refuses  to  come  with  us.  Almost  every  day  grand- 
mamma says  to  her,  'Well,  how  about  this  Swiss  journey,  my 
worthy  Rottenmeier?  Pray  say  if  you  really  would  like  to  come 
with  us.'  But  she  always  thanks  grandmamma  very  politely 
and  says  she  has  quite  made  up  her  mind.  I  think  I  know  what 
has  done  it :  Sebastian  gave  such  a  frightful  description  of  the 
mountain,  of  how  the  rocks  were  so  overhanging  and  dangerous 
that  at  any  minute  you  might  fall  into  a  crevasse,  and  how  it 
was  such  steep  climbing  that  you  feared  at  every  step  to  go 
slipping  to  the  bottom,  and  that  goats  alone  could  make  their 
way  up  without  fear  of  being  killed.  She  shuddered  when  she 
heard  him  tell  of  all  this,  and  since  then  she  has  not  been  so 
enthusiastic  about  Switzerland  as  she  was  before.  Fear  has 
also  taken  possession  of  Tinette,  and  she  also  refuses  to  come. 
So  grandmamma  and  I  will  be  alone;  Sebastian  will  go  with  us 
as  far  as  Ragatz  and  then  return  here. 

"I  can  hardly  bear  waiting  till  I  see  you  again.  Good-bye, 
dearest  Heidi;  grandmamma  sends  you  her  best  love  and  all 
good  wishes. — Your  affectionate  friend, 

"Clara." 
[305  ] 


HEIDI 

Peter,  as  soon  as  the  conclusion  of  the  letter  had  been 
reached,  left  his  reclining  position  and  rushed  out,  twirling  his 
stick  in  the  air  in  such  a  reckless  fashion  that  the  frightened 
goats  fled  down  the  mountain  before  him  with  higher  and 
wider  leaps  than  usual.  Peter  followed  at  full  speed,  his  stick 
still  raised  in  air  in  a  menacing  manner  as  if  he  was  longing  to 
vent  his  fury  on  some  invisible  foe.  This  foe  was  indeed  the 
prospect  of  the  arrival  of  the  Frankfurt  visitors,  the  thought 
of  whom  filled  him  with  exasperation. 

Heidi  was  so  full  of  joyful  anticipation  that  she  determined 
to  seize  the  first  possible  moment  next  day  to  go  down  and  tell 
grandmother  who  was  coming,  and  also  particularly  who  was 
not  coming.  These  details  would  be  of  great  interest  to  her,  for 
grandmother  knew  well  all  the  persons  named  from  Heidi's 
description,  and  had  entered  with  deep  sympathy  into  all  that 
the  child  had  told  her  of  her  life  and  surroundings  in  Frankfurt. 
Heidi  paid  her  visit  in  the  early  afternoon,  for  she  could  now 
go  alone  again;  the  sun  was  bright  in  the  heavens  and  the  days 
were  growing  longer,  and  it  was  delightful  to  go  racing  down 
the  mountain  over  the  dry  ground,  with  the  brisk  May  wind 
blowing  from  behind,  and  speeding  Heidi  on  her  way  a  little 
more  quickly  than  her  legs  alone  would  have  carried  her. 

The  grandmother  was  no  longer  confined  to  her  bed.  She 
was  back  in  her  corner  at  her  spinning-wheel,  but  there  was  an 
expression  on  her  face  of  mournful  anxiety.  Peter  had  come  in 
the  evening  before  brimful  of  anger  and  had  told  about  the 
large  party  who  were  coming  up  from  Frankfurt,  and  he  did 
not  know  what  other  things  might  happen  after  that;  and  the 
old  woman  had  not  slept  all  night,  pursued  by  the  old  thought 

[306] 


NEWS  FROM  DISTANT  FRIENDS 

of  Heidi  being  taken  from  her.  Heidi  ran  in,  and  taking  her 
little  stool,  immediately  sat  down  by  grandmother  and  began 
eagerly  pouring  out  all  her  news,  growing  more  excited  with  her 
pleasure  as  she  went  on.  But  all  of  a  sudden  she  stopped  short 
and  said  anxiously,  "  What  is  the  matter,  grandmother,  aren't 
you  a  bit  pleased  with  what  I  am  telling  you?" 

"Yes,  yes,  of  course,  child,  since  it  gives  you  so  much  pleas- 
ure," she  answered,  trying  to  look  more  cheerful. 

"But  I  can  see  all  the  same  that  something  troubles  you. 
Is  it  because  you  think  after  all  that  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  may 
come?"  asked  Heidi,  beginning  to  feel  anxious  herself. 

"No,  no!  it  is  nothing,  child,"  said  the  grandmother,  wishing 
to  reassure  her.  "Just  give  me  your  hand  that  I  may  feel  sure 
you  are  there.  No  doubt  it  would  be  the  best  thing  for  you, 
although  I  feel  I  could  scarcely  survive  it." 

"I  do  not  want  anything  of  the  best  if  you  could  scarcely 
survive  it,"  said  Heidi,  in  such  a  determined  tone  of  voice  that 
the  grandmother's  fears  increased  as  she  felt  sure  the  people 
from  Frankfurt  were  coming  to  take  Heidi  back  with  them, 
since  now  she  was  well  again  they  naturally  wished  to  have  her 
with  them  once  more.  But  she  was  anxious  to  hide  her  trouble 
from  Heidi  if  possible,  as  the  latter  was  so  sympathetic  that  she 
might  refuse  perhaps  to  go  away,  and  that  would  not  be  right. 
She  sought  for  help,  but  not  for  long,  for  she  knew  of  only  one. 

"Heidi,"  she  said,  "there  is  something  that  would  comfort 
me  and  calm  my  thoughts;  read  me  the  hymn  beginning :  'All 
things  will  work  for  good.'" 

Heidi  found  the  place  at  once  and  read  out  in  her  clear 
young  voice: 

[307] 


HEIDI 

All  things  will  work  for  good 
To  those  who  trust  in  Me; 
I  come  with  healing  on  my  wings, 
To  save  and  set  thee  free. 

"Yes,  yes,  that  is  just  what  I  wanted  to  hear,"  said  the 
grandmother,  and  the  deep  expression  of  trouble  passed  from 
her  face.  Heidi  looked  at  her  thoughtfully  for  a  minute  or  two 
and  then  said,  "Healing  means  that  which  cures  everything 
and  makes  everybody  well,  doesn't  it,  grandmother?  " 

"Yes,  that  is  it,"  replied  the  old  woman  with  a  nod  of  assent, 
"and  we  may  be  sure  everything  will  come  to  pass  according 
to  God's  good  purpose.  Read  the  verse  again,  that  we  may  re- 
member it  well  and  not  forget  it  again." 

And  Heidi  read  the  words  over  two  or  three  times,  for  she 
also  found  pleasure  in  this  assurance  of  all  things  being  ar- 
ranged for  the  best. 

When  the  evening  came,  Heidi  returned  home  up  the  moun- 
tain. The  stars  came  out  overhead  one  by  one,  so  bright  and 
sparkling  that  each  seemed  to  send  a  fresh  ray  of  joy  into  her 
heart;  she  was  obliged  to  pause  continually  to  look  up,  and  as 
the  whole  sky  at  last  grew  spangled  with  them  she  spoke  aloud, 
"Yes,  I  understand  now  why  we  feel  so  happy,  and  are  not 
afraid  about  anything,  because  God  knows  what  is  good  and 
beautiful  for  us."  And  the  stars  with  their  glistening  eyes 
continued  to  nod  to  her  till  she  reached  home,  where  she 
found  her  grandfather  also  standing  and  looking  up  at  them, 
for  they  had  seldom  been  more  glorious  than  they  were  this 
night. 

Not  only  were  the  nights  of  this  month  of  May  so  clear  and 

[308  ] 


NEWS  FROM  DISTANT  FRIENDS 

bright,  but  the  days  as  well;  the  sun  rose  every  morning  into 
the  cloudless  sky,  as  undimmed  in  its  splendor  as  when  it  sank 
the  evening  before,  and  the  grandfather  would  look  out  early 
and  exclaim  with  astonishment,  "This  is  indeed  a  wonderful 
year  of  sun;  it  will  make  all  the  shrubs  and  plants  grow  apace; 
you  will  have  to  see,  general,  that  your  army  does  not  get  out 
of  hand  from  overfeeding."  And  Peter  would  swing  his  stick 
with  an  air  of  assurance  and  an  expression  on  his  face  as  much 
as  to  say,  "I'll  see  to  that." 

So  May  passed,  everything  growing  greener  and  greener,  and 
then  came  the  month  of  June,  with  a  hotter  sun  and  long,  light 
days,  that  brought  the  flowers  out  all  over  the  mountain,  so 
that  every  spot  was  bright  with  them  and  the  air  full  of  their 
sweet  scents.  This  month  too  was  drawing  to  its  close  when 
one  day  Heidi,  having  finished  her  domestic  duties,  ran  out 
with  the  intention  of  paying  first  a  visit  to  the  fir  trees,  and 
then  going  up  higher  to  see  if  the  bush  of  rock  roses  was  yet  in 
bloom,  for  its  flowers  were  so  lovely  when  standing  open  in  the 
sun.  But  just  as  she  was  turning  the  corner  of  the  hut,  she 
gave  such  a  loud  cry  that  her  grandfather  came  running  out  of 
the  shed  to  see  what  had  happened. 

"Grandfather,  grandfather!"  she  cried,  beside  herself  with 
excitement.   "Come  here!  look!  look!" 

The  old  man  was  by  her  side  by  this  time  and  looked  in  the 
direction  of  her  outstretched  hand. 

A  strange  looking  procession  was  making  its  way  up  the 
mountain;  in  front  were  two  men  carrying  a  sedan  chair,  in 
which  sat  a  girl  well  wrapped  up  in  shawls;  then  followed  a 
horse,  mounted  by  a  stately  looking  lady,  who  was  looking 

[309  ] 


HEIDI 

about  her  with  great  interest  and  talking  to  the  guide  who 
walked  beside  her;  then  a  reclining  chair,  which  was  being 
pushed  up  by  another  man,  it  having  evidently  been  thought 
safer  to  send  the  invalid  to  whom  it  belonged  up  the  steep  path 
in  a  sedan  chair.  The  procession  wound  up  with  a  porter,  with 
such  a  bundle  of  cloaks,  shawls,  and  furs  on  his  back  that  it 
rose  well  above  his  head. 

"Here  they  come!  here  they  come!"  shouted  Heidi,  jumping 
with  joy.  And  sure  enough  it  was  the  party  from  Frankfurt; 
the  figures  came  nearer  and  nearer,  and  at  last  they  had  actu- 
ally arrived.  The  men  in  front  put  down  their  burden,  Heidi 
rushed  forward,  and  the  two  children  embraced  each  other  with 
mutual  delight.  Grandmamma  having  also  reached  the  top, 
dismounted,  and  gave  Heidi  an  affectionate  greeting,  before 
turning  to  the  grandfather,  who  had  meanwhile  come  up  to  wel- 
come his  guests.  There  was  no  constraint  about  the  meeting, 
for  they  both  knew  each  other  perfectly  well  from  hearsay  and 
felt  like  old  acquaintances. 

After  the  first  words  of  greeting  had  been  exchanged  grand- 
mamma broke  out  into  lively  expressions  of  admiration. 
"What  a  magnificent  residence  you  have,  Uncle!  I  could 
hardly  have  believed  it  was  so  beautiful!  A  king  might  well 
envy  you!  And  how  well  my  little  Heidi  looks — like  a  wild 
rose!"  she  continued,  drawing  the  child  towards  her  and  strok- 
ing her  fresh  pink  cheeks.  "I  don't  know  which  way  to  look 
first,  it  is  all  so  lovely !  What  do  you  say  to  it,  Clara,  what  do 
you  say?" 

Clara  was  gazing  round  entranced;  she  had  never  imagined, 
much  less  seen,  anything  so  beautiful.    She  gave  vent  to  her 

[310] 


NEWS  FROM  DISTANT  FRIENDS 

delight  in  cries  of  joy.  "Oh,  grandmamma,"  she  said,  "I 
should  like  to  remain  here  for  ever." 

The  grandfather  had  meanwhile  drawn  up  the  invalid  chair 
and  spread  some  of  the  wraps  over  it;  he  now  went  up  to 
Clara. 

"Supposing  we  carry  the  little  daughter  now  to  her  accus- 
tomed chair;  I  think  she  will  be  more  comfortable — the 
traveling  sedan  is  rather  hard,"  he  said,  and  without  waiting 
for  any  one  to  help  him  he  lifted  the  child  in  his  strong 
arms  and  laid  her  gently  down  on  her  own  couch.  He  then 
covered  her  over  carefully  and  arranged  her  feet  on  the 
soft  cushion,  as  if  he  had  never  done  anything  all  his  life 
but  attend  on  cripples.  The  grandmamma  looked  on  with 
surprise. 

"My  dear  Uncle,"  she  exclaimed,  "if  I  knew  where  you  had 
learned  to  nurse  I  would  at  once  send  all  the  nurses  I  know  to 
the  same  place  that  they  might  handle  their  patients  in  like 
manner.   How  do  you  come  to  know  so  much?" 

Uncle  smiled.  "I  know  more  from  experience  than  training," 
he  answered,  but  as  he  spoke  the  smile  died  away  and  a  look 
of  sadness  passed  over  his  face.  The  vision  rose  before  him  of  a 
face  of  suffering  that  he  had  known  long  years  before,  the  face 
of  a  man  lying  crippled  on  his  couch  of  pain,  and  unable  to 
move  a  limb.  The  man  had  been  his  captain  during  the  fierce 
fighting  in  Sicily;  he  had  found  him  lying  wounded  and  had 
carried  him  away,  and  after  that  the  captain  would  suffer  no 
one  else  near  him,  and  Uncle  had  stayed  and  nursed  him  till 
his  sufferings  ended  in  death.  It  all  came  back  to  Uncle  now, 
and  it  seemed  natural  to  him  to  attend  on  the  sick  Clara  and 

[311] 


HEIDI 

to  show  her  all  those  kindly  attentions  with  which  he  had  been 
once  so  familiar. 

The  sky  spread  blue  and  cloudless  over  the  hut  and  the  fir 
trees  and  far  above  over  the  high  rocks,  the  gray  summits  of 
which  glistened  in  the  sun.  Clara  could  not  feast  her  eyes 
enough  on  all  the  beauty  around  her. 

"Oh,  Heidi,  if  only  I  could  walk  about  with  you,"  she  said 
longingly,  "if  I  could  but  go  and  look  at  the  fir  trees  and  at 
everything  I  know  so  well  from  your  description,  although  I 
have  never  been  here  before." 

Heidi  in  response  put  out  all  her  strength,  and  after  a  slight 
effort,  managed  to  wheel  Clara's  chair  quite  easily  round  the 
hut  to  the  fir  trees.  There  they  paused.  Clara  had  never  seen 
such  trees  before,  with  their  tall,  straight  stems,  and  long  thick 
branches  growing  thicker  and  thicker  till  they  touched  the 
ground.  Even  the  grandmamma,  who  had  followed  the  chil- 
dren, was  astonished  at  the  sight  of  them.  She  hardly  knew 
what  to  admire  most  in  these  ancient  trees :  the  lofty  tops  ris- 
ing in  their  full  green  splendor  towards  the  sky,  or  the  pillar- 
like stems,  with  their  straight  and  gigantic  boughs,  that  spoke 
of  such  antiquity  of  age,  of  such  long  years  during  which  they 
had  looked  down  upon  the  valley  below,  where  men  came  and 
went,  and  all  things  were  continually  changing,  while  they 
stood  undisturbed  and  changeless. 

Heidi  had  now  wheeled  Clara  on  to  the  goat  shed,  and  had 
flung  open  the  door,  so  that  Clara  might  have  a  full  view  of  all 
that  was  inside.  There  was  not  much  to  see  just  now  as  its 
indwellers  were  absent.  Clara  lamented  to  her  grandmother 
that  they  would  have  to  leave  early  before  the  goats  came 

[312] 


NEWS  FROM  DISTANT  FRIENDS 

home.    "I  should  so  like  to  have  seen  Peter  and  his  whole 
flock." 

"Dear  child,  let  us  enjoy  all  the  beautiful  things  that  we  can 
see,  and  not  think  about  those  that  we  cannot,"  grandmamma 
replied  as  she  followed  the  chair  which  Heidi  was  pushing 
further  on. 

"Oh,  the  flowers ! "  exclaimed  Clara.  "Look  at  the  bushes  of 
red  flowers,  and  all  the  nodding  blue  bells !  Oh,  if  I  could  but 
get  out  and  pick  some!" 

Heidi  ran  off  at  once  and  picked  her  a  large  nosegay  of 
them. 

"But  these  are  nothing,  Clara,"  she  said,  laying  the  flowers 
on  her  lap.  "If  you  could  come  up  higher  to  where  the  goats 
are  feeding,  then  you  would  indeed  see  something!  Bushes  on 
bushes  of  the  red  centaury,  and  ever  so  many  more  of  the  blue 
bell-flowers;  and  then  the  bright  yellow  rock  roses,  that  gleam 
like  pure  gold,  and  all  crowding  together  in  the  one  spot.  And 
then  there  are  others  with  the  large  leaves  that  grandfather 
calls  Bright  Eyes,  and  the  brown  ones  with  little  round  heads 
that  smell  so  delicious.  Oh,  it  is  beautiful  up  there,  and  if  you 
sit  down  among  them  you  never  want  to  get  up  again,  every- 
thing looks  and  smells  so  lovely!" 

Heidi's  eyes  sparkled  with  the  remembrance  of  what  she  was 
describing;  she  was  longing  herself  to  see  it  all  again,  and  Clara 
caught  her  enthusiasm  and  looked  back  at  her  with  equal  long- 
ing in  her  soft  blue  eyes. 

"Grandmamma,  do  you  think  I  could  get  up  there?  Is  it 
possible  for  me  to  go?"  she  asked  eagerly.  "If  only  I  could 
walk,  climb  about  everywhere  with  you,  Heidi!" 

[313] 


HEIDI 

"I  am  sure  I  could  push  you  up,  the  chair  goes  so  easily," 
said  Heidi,  and  in  proof  of  her  words,  she  sent  the  chair  at 
such  a  pace  round  the  corner  that  it  nearly  went  flying  down 
the  mountainside.  Grandmamma  being  at  hand,  however, 
stopped  it  in  time. 

The  grandfather,  meantime,  had  not  been  idle.  He  had  by 
this  time  put  the  table  and  extra  chairs  in  front  of  the  seat,  so 
that  they  might  all  sit  out  here  and  eat  the  dinner  that  was 
preparing  inside.  The  milk  and  the  cheese  were  soon  ready,  and 
then  the  company  sat  down  in  high  spirits  to  their  mid-day 
meal. 

Grandmamma  was  enchanted,  as  the  doctor  had  been,  with 
their  dining-room,  whence  one  could  see  far  along  the  valley, 
and  far  over  the  mountains  to  the  farthest  stretch  of  blue  sky. 
A  light  wind  blew  refreshingly  over  them  as  they  sat  at  table, 
and  the  rustling  of  the  fir  trees  made  a  festive  accompaniment 
to  the  repast. 

"I  never  enjoyed  anything  as  much  as  this.  It  is  really 
superb!"  cried  grandmamma  two  or  three  times  over;  and 
then  suddenly,  in  a  tone  of  surprise,  "Do  I  really  see  you  tak- 
ing a  second  piece  of  toasted  cheese,  Clara!" 

There,  sure  enough,  was  a  second  golden-colored  slice  of 
cheese  on  Clara's  plate. 

"Oh,  it  does  taste  so  nice,  grandmamma — better  than  all  the 
dishes  we  have  at  Ragatz,"  replied  Clara,  as  she  continued  eat- 
ing with  appetite. 

"That's  right,  eat  what  you  can!"  exclaimed  Uncle.  "It's 
the  mountain  air  which  makes  up  for  the  deficiencies  of  the 
kitchen." 

[314] 


NEWS  FROM  DISTANT  FRIENDS 

And  so  the  meal  went  on.  Grandmamma  and  Aim-Uncle 
got  on  very  well  together,  and  their  conversation  became  more 
and  more  lively.  They  were  so  thoroughly  agreed  in  their 
opinions  of  men  and  things  and  the  world  in  general  that  they 
might  have  been  taken  for  old  cronies.  The  time  passed  mer- 
rily, and  then  grandmamma  looked  towards  the  west  and 
said, — 

"We  must  soon  get  ready  to  go,  Clara,  the  sun  is  a  good  way 
down;  the  men  will  be  here  directly  with  the  horse  and  sedan." 

Clara's  face  fell  and  she  said  beseechingly,  "Oh,  just  another 
hour,  grandmamma,  or  two  hours.  We  haven't  seen  inside  the 
hut  yet,  or  Heidi's  bed,  or  any  of  the  other  things.  If  only  the 
day  was  ten  hours  long!" 

"Well,  that  is  not  possible,"  said  grandmamma,  but  she  her- 
self was  anxious  to  see  inside  the  hut,  so  they  all  rose  from  the 
table  and  Uncle  wheeled  Clara's  chair  to  the  door.  But  there 
they  came  to  a  standstill,  for  the  chair  was  much  too  broad  to 
pass  through  the  door.  Uncle,  however,  soon  settled  the  diffi- 
culty by  lifting  Clara  in  his  strong  arms  and  carrying  her  inside. 

Grandmamma  went  all  round  and  examined  the  household 
arrangements,  and  was  very  much  amused  and  pleased  at  their 
orderliness  and  the  cozy  appearance  of  everything.  "And  this 
is  your  bedroom  up  here,  Heidi,  is  it  not?"  she  asked,  as  with- 
out trepidation  she  mounted  the  ladder  to  the  hay -loft.  "Oh, 
it  does  smell  sweet,  what  a  healthy  place  to  sleep  in."  She  went 
up  to  the  round  window  and  looked  out,  and  grandfather  fol- 
lowed up  with  Clara  in  his  arms,  Heidi  springing  up  after  them. 
Then  they  all  stood  and  examined  Heidi's  wonderful  hay-bed, 
and  grandmamma  looked  thoughtfully  at  it  and  drew  in  from 

[315] 


HEIDI 

time  to  time  fragrant  draughts  of  the  hay-perfumed  air,  while 
Clara  was  charmed  beyond  words  with  Heidi's  sleeping  apart- 
ment. 

"It  is  delightful  for  you  up  here,  Heidi!  You  can  look  from 
your  bed  straight  into  the  sky,  and  then  such  a  delicious  smell 
all  round  you!  and  outside  the  fir  trees  waving  and  rustling!  I 
have  never  seen  such  a  pleasant,  cheerful  bedroom  before." 

Uncle  looked  across  at  the  grandmamma.  "I  have  been 
thinking,"  he  said  to  her,  "that  if  you  were  willing  to  agree  to 
it,  your  little  granddaughter  might  remain  up  here,  and  I  am 
sure  she  would  grow  stronger.  You  have  brought  up  all  kinds 
of  shawls  and  covers  with  you,  and  we  could  make  up  a  soft 
bed  out  of  them,  and  as  to  the  general  looking  after  the  child, 
you  need  have  no  fear,  for  I  will  see  to  that." 

Clara  and  Heidi  were  as  overjoyed  at  these  words  as  if  they 
were  two  birds  let  out  of  their  cages,  and  grandmamma's  face 
beamed  with  satisfaction. 

"You  are  indeed  kind,  my  dear  Uncle,"  she  exclaimed;  "you 
give  words  to  the  thought  that  was  in  my  own  mind.  I  was 
only  asking  myself  whether  a  stay  up  here  might  not  be  the 
very  thing  she  wanted.  But  then  the  trouble,  the  inconven- 
ience to  yourself!  And  you  speak  of  nursing  and  looking  after 
her  as  if  it  was  a  mere  nothing!  I  thank  you  sincerely,  I  thank 
you  from  my  whole  heart,  Uncle."  And  she  took  his  hand  and 
gave  it  a  long  and  grateful  shake,  which  he  returned  with  a 
pleased  expression  of  countenance. 

Uncle  immediately  set  to  work  to  get  things  ready.  He  car- 
ried Clara  back  to  her  chair  outside,  Heidi  following,  not 
knowing  how  to  jump  high  enough  into  the  air  to  express  her 

[316] 


NEWS  FROM  DISTANT  FRIENDS 

contentment.  Then  he  gathered  up  a  whole  pile  of  shawls  and 
furs  and  said,  smiling,  "It  is  a  good  thing  that  grandmamma 
came  up  well  provided  for  a  winter's  campaign;  we  shall  be 
able  to  make  good  use  of  these." 

"Foresight  is  a  virtue,"  responded  the  lady,  amused,  "and 
prevents  many  misfortunes.  If  we  have  made  the  journey  over 
your  mountains  without  meeting  with  storms,  winds  and  cloud- 
bursts, we  can  only  be  thankful,  which  we  are,  and  my  pro- 
vision against  these  disasters  now  comes  in  usefully,  as  you 
say." 

The  two  had  meanwhile  ascended  to  the  hay -loft  and  begun 
to  prepare  a  bed;  there  were  so  many  articles  piled  one  over 
the  other  that  when  finished  it  looked  like  a  regular  little 
fortress.  Grandmamma  passed  her  hand  carefully  over  it  to 
make  sure  there  were  no  bits  of  hay  sticking  out.  "If  there's  a 
bit  that  can  come  through  it  will,"  she  said.  The  soft  mattress, 
however,  was  so  smooth  and  thick  that  nothing  could  pene- 
trate it.  Then  they  went  down  again,  well  satisfied,  and  found 
the  children  laughing  and  talking  together  and  arranging  all 
they  were  going  to  do  from  morning  till  evening  as  long  as 
Clara  stayed.  The  next  question  was  how  long  she  was  to  re- 
main, and  first  grandmamma  was  asked,  but  she  referred  them 
to  the  grandfather,  who  gave  it  as  his  opinion  that  she  ought 
to  make  the  trial  of  the  mountain  air  for  at  least  a  month.  The 
children  clapped  their  hands  for  joy,  for  they  had  not  ex- 
pected to  be  together  for  so  long  a  time. 

The  bearers  and  the  horse  and  guide  were  now  seen  ap- 
proaching; the  former  were  sent  back  at  once,  and  grand- 
mamma prepared  to  mount  for  her  return  journey. 

[317] 


HEIDI 

"It's  not  saying  good-bye,  grandmamma,"  Clara  called  out 
"for  you  will  come  up  now  and  then  and  see  how  we  are  getting 
on,  and  we  shall  so  look  forward  to  your  visits,  shan't  we, 
Heidi?" 

Heidi,  who  felt  that  life  this  day  had  been  crowded  with 
pleasures,  could  only  respond  to  Clara  with  another  jump  of 
joy. 

Grandmamma  being  now  seated  on  her  sturdy  animal,  Uncle 
took  the  bridle  to  lead  her  down  the  steep  mountain  path;  she 
begged  him  not  to  come  far  with  her,  but  he  insisted  on  seeing 
her  safely  as  far  as  Dorfli,  for  the  way  was  precipitous  and  not 
without  danger  for  the  rider,  he  said. 

Grandmamma  did  not  care  to  stay  alone  in  Dorfli,  and  there- 
fore decided  to  return  to  Ragatz,  and  thence  to  make  excur- 
sions up  the  mountain  from  time  to  time. 

Peter  came  down  with  his  goats  before  Uncle  had  returned. 
As  soon  as  the  animals  caught  sight  of  Heidi  they  all  came 
flocking  towards  her,  and  she,  as  well  as  Clara  on  her  couch, 
were  soon  surrounded  by  the  goats,  pushing  and  poking  their 
heads  one  over  the  other,  while  Heidi  introduced  each  in  turn 
by  its  name  to  her  friend  Clara. 

It  was  not  long  before  the  latter  had  made  the  long-wished- 
for  acquaintance  of  little  Snowflake,  the  lively  Greenfinch,  and 
the  well-behaved  goats  belonging  to  grandfather,  as  well  as  of 
the  many  others,  including  the  Grand  Turk.  Peter  meanwhile 
stood  apart  looking  on,  and  casting  somewhat  unfriendly 
glances  towards  Clara. 

When  the  two  children  called  out,  "Good-evening,  Peter," 
he  made  no  answer,  but  swung  up  his  stick  angrily,  as  if  want- 

[318] 


(D.MEK 


Heidi  introduced  each  in  turn  by  its  name  to 
her  friend  Clara.     {Page  318) 


NEWS  FROM  DISTANT  FRIENDS 

ing  to  cut  the  air  in  two,  and  then  ran  off  with  his  goats  after 
him. 

The  climax  to  all  the  beautiful  things  that  Clara  had  already 
seen  upon  the  mountain  came  at  the  close  of  the  day. 

As  she  lay  on  the  large  soft  bed  in  the  hay  loft,  with  Heidi 
near  her,  she  looked  out  through  the  round  open  window  right 
into  the  middle  of  the  shining  clusters  of  stars,  and  she  ex- 
claimed in  delight, 

"Heidi,  it's  just  as  if  we  were  in  a  high  carriage  and  were 
going  to  drive  straight  into  heaven." 

"Yes,  and  do  you  know  why  the  stars  are  so  happy  and  look 
down  and  nod  to  us  like  that?"  asked  Heidi. 

"No,  why  is  it?"  Clara  asked  in  return. 

"Because  they  live  up  in  heaven,  and  know  how  well  God 
arranges  everything  for  us,  so  that  we  need  have  no  more  fear 
or  trouble  and  may  be  quite  sure  that  all  things  will  come 
right  in  the  end.  That's  why  they  are  so  happy,  and  they  nod 
to  us  because  they  want  us  to  be  happy  too.  But  then  we  must 
never  forget  to  pray,  and  to  ask  God  to  remember  us  when  He 
is  arranging  things,  so  that  we  too  may  feel  safe  and  have  no 
anxiety  about  what  is  going  to  happen." 

The  two  children  now  sat  up  and  said  their  prayers,  and  then 
Heidi  put  her  head  down  on  her  little  round  arm  and  fell  off  to 
sleep  at  once,  but  Clara  lay  awake  some  time,  for  she  could  not 
get  over  the  wonder  of  this  new  experience  of  being  in  bed  up 
here  among  the  stars.  She  had  indeed  seldom  seen  a  star,  for 
she  never  went  outside  the  house  at  night,  and  the  curtains  at 
home  were  always  drawn  before  the  stars  came  out.  Each  time 
she  closed  her  eyes  she  felt  she  must  open  them  again  to  see  if 

[319] 


HEIDI 

the  two  very  large  stars  were  still  looking  in,  and  nodding  to  her 
as  Heidi  said  they  did.  There  they  were,  always  in  the  same 
place,  and  Clara  felt  she  could  not  look  long  enough  into  their 
bright  sparkling  faces,  until  at  last  her  eyes  closed  of  their  own 
accord,  and  it  was  only  in  her  dreams  that  she  still  saw  the  two 
large  friendly  stars  shining  down  upon  her. 


[320] 


iE22S£33tfegS!SS3Sii«9:£SSre^ 


CHAPTER  XXI 
HOW  LIFE  WENT  ON  AT  GRANDFATHER'S 

THE  sun  had  just  risen  above  the  mountains  and  was 
shedding  its  first  golden  rays  over  the  hut  and  the  valley 
below.  Aim-Uncle,  as  was  his  custom,  had  been  standing 
in  a  quiet  and  devout  attitude  for  some  little  while,  watching 
the  light  mists  gradually  lifting,  and  the  heights  and  valley 
emerging  from  their  twilight  shadows  and  awakening  to 
another  day. 

The  light  morning  clouds  overhead  grew  brighter  and 
brighter,  till  at  last  the  sun  shone  out  in  its  full  glory,  and  rock 
and  wood  and  hill  lay  bathed  in  golden  light. 

Uncle  now  stepped  back  into  the  hut  and  went  softly  up  the 
ladder.  Clara  had  just  opened  her  eyes  and  was  looking  with 
wonder  at  the  bright  sunlight  that  shone  through  the  round 
window  and  danced  and  sparkled  about  her  bed.  She  could 
not  at  first  think  what  she  was  looking  at  or  where  she  was. 
Then  she  caught  sight  of  Heidi  sleeping  beside  her,  and  now 
she  heard  the  grandfather's  cheery  voice  asking  her  if  she  had 
slept  well  and  was  feeling  rested.  She  assured  him  she  was  not 
tired,  and  that  when  she  had  once  fallen  asleep  she  had  not 
opened  her  eyes  again  all  night.  The  grandfather  was  satisfied 
at  this  and  immediately  began  to  attend  upon  her  with  so  much 
gentleness  and  understanding  that  it  seemed  as  if  his  chief 
calling  had  been  to  look  after  sick  children. 

[323  ] 


HEIDI 

Heidi  now  awoke  and  was  surprised  to  see  Clara  dressed,  and 
already  in  the  grandfather's  arms  ready  to  be  carried  down. 
She  must  be  up  too,  and  she  went  through  her  toilette  with 
lightning-like  speed.  She  ran  down  the  ladder  and  out  of  the 
hut,  and  there  further  astonishment  awaited  her,  for  grand- 
father had  been  busy  the  night  before  after  they  were  in  bed. 
Seeing  that  it  was  impossible  to  get  Clara's  chair  through  the 
hut-door,  he  had  taken  down  two  of  the  boards  at  the  side  of 
the  shed  and  made  an  opening  large  enough  to  admit  the  chair; 
these  he  left  loose  so  that  they  could  be  taken  away  and  put  up 
at  pleasure.  He  was  at  this  moment  wheeling  Clara  out  into 
the  sun;  he  left  her  in  front  of  the  hut  while  he  went  to  look 
after  the  goats,  and  Heidi  ran  up  to  her  friend. 

The  fresh  morning  breeze  blew  round  the  children's  faces, 
and  every  fresh  puff  brought  a  waft  of  fragrance  from  the  fir 
trees.  Clara  drew  it  in  with  delight  and  lay  back  in  her  chair 
with  an  unaccustomed  feeling  of  health  and  comfort. 

It  was  the  first  time  in  her  life  that  she  had  been  out  in  the 
open  country  at  this  early  hour  and  felt  the  fresh  morning 
breeze,  and  the  pure  mountain  air  was  so  cool  and  refreshing 
that  every  breath  she  drew  was  a  pleasure.  And  then  the 
bright  sweet  sun,  which  was  not  hot  and  sultry  up  here,  but  lay 
soft  and  warm  on  her  hands  and  on  the  grass  at  her  feet. 
Clara  had  not  imagined  that  it  would  be  like  this  on  the 
mountain. 

"Oh,  Heidi,  if  only  I  could  stay  up  here  forever  with  you," 
she  exclaimed  happily,  turning  in  her  chair  from  side  to  side 
that  she  might  drink  in  the  air  and  sun  from  all  quarters. 

"Now  you  see  that  it  is  just  what  I  told  you,"  replied  Heidi 

[324] 


HOW  LIFE  WENT  ON  AT  GRANDFATHER'S 

delighted;  "that  it  is  the  most  beautiful  thing  in  the  world  to 
be  up  here  with  grandfather." 

The  latter  at  that  moment  appeared  coming  from  the  goat 
shed  and  bringing  two  small  foaming  bowls  of  snow-white 
milk — one  for  Clara  and  one  for  Heidi. 

"That  will  do  the  little  daughter  good,"  he  said,  nodding  to 
Clara;  "it  is  from  Little  Swan  and  will  make  her  strong.  To 
your  health,  child!  drink  it  up." 

Clara  had  never  tasted  goat's  milk  before;  she  hesitated  and 
smelt  it  before  putting  it  to  her  lips,  but  seeing  how  Heidi 
drank  hers  up  without  hesitating,  and  how  much  she  seemed  to 
like  it,  Clara  did  the  same,  and  drank  till  there  was  not  a  drop 
left,  for  she  too  found  it  delicious,  tasting  just  as  if  sugar  and 
cinnamon  had  been  mixed  with  it. 

"To-morrow  we  will  drink  two,"  said  the  grandfather,  who 
had  looked  on  with  satisfaction  at  seeing  her  follow  Heidi's 
example. 

Peter  now  arrived  with  the  goats,  and  while  Heidi  was  receiv- 
ing her  usual  crowded  morning  greetings,  Uncle  drew  Peter 
aside  to  speak  to  him,  for  the  goats  bleated  so  loudly  and  con- 
tinuously in  their  wish  to  express  their  joy  and  affection  that  no 
one  could  be  heard  near  them. 

"Attend  to  what  I  have  to  say,"  he  said.  "From  to-day  be 
sure  you  let  Little  Swan  go  where  she  likes.  She  has  an  in- 
stinct where  to  find  the  best  food  for  herself,  and  so  if  she  wants 
to  climb  higher,  you  follow  her,  and  it  will  do  the  others  no 
harm  if  they  go  too;  on  no  account  bring  her  back.  A  little 
more  climbing  won't  hurt  you,  and  in  this  matter  she  probably 
knows  better  than  you  what  is  good  for  her;  I  want  her  to  give 

[325  ] 


HEIDI 

as  fine  milk  as  possible.  Why  are  you  looking  over  there  as  if 
you  wanted  to  eat  somebody?  Nobody  will  interfere  with  you. 
So  now  be  off  and  remember  what  I  say." 

Peter  was  accustomed  to  give  immediate  obedience  to  Uncle, 
and  he  marched  off  with  his  goats,  but  with  a  turn  of  the  head 
and  roll  of  the  eye  that  showed  he  had  some  thought  in  reserve. 
The  goats  carried  Heidi  along  with  them  a  little  way,  which 
was  what  Peter  wanted.  "You  will  have  to  come  with  them," 
he  called  to  her,  "for  I  shall  be  obliged  to  follow  Little  Swan." 

"I  cannot,"  Heidi  called  back  from  the  midst  of  her  friends, 
"  and  I  shall  not  be  able  to  come  for  a  long,  long  time— not  as 
long  as  Clara  is  with  me.  Grandfather,  however,  has  promised 
to  go  up  the  mountain  with  both  of  us  one  day." 

Heidi  had  now  extricated  herself  from  the  goats  and  she  ran 
back  to  Clara.  Peter  doubled  his  fists  and  made  threatening 
gestures  towards  the  invalid  on  her  couch,  and  then  climbed  up 
some  distance  without  pause  until  he  was  out  of  sight,  for  he 
was  afraid  Uncle  might  have  seen  him,  and  he  did  not  care 
to  know  what  Uncle  might  have  thought  of  the  fists. 

Clara  and  Heidi  had  made  so  many  plans  for  themselves  that 
they  hardly  knew  where  to  begin.  Heidi  suggested  that  they 
should  first  write  to  grandmamma,  to  whom  they  had  promised 
to  send  word  every  day,  for  grandmamma  had  not  felt  sure 
whether  it  would  in  the  long  run  suit  Clara's  health  to  remain 
up  the  mountain,  or  if  she  would  continue  to  enjoy  herself 
there.  With  daily  news  of  her  granddaughter  she  could  stay  on 
without  anxiety  at  Ragatz,  and  be  ready  to  go  to  Clara  at  a 
moment's  notice. 

"Must  we  go  indoors  to  write?"  asked  Clara,  who  agreed  to 

[  826  ] ' 


HOW  LIFE  WENT  ON  AT  GRANDFATHER'S 

Heidi's  proposal  but  did  not  want  to  move  from  where  she  was, 
as  it  was  so  much  nicer  outside.  Heidi  was  prepared  to  arrange 
everything.  She  ran  in  and  brought  out  her  school-book  and 
writing  things  and  her  own  little  stool.  She  put  her  reading 
book  and  copy  book  on  Clara's  knees,  to  make  a  desk  for  her  to 
write  upon,  and  she  herself  took  her  seat  on  the  stool  and  sat 
to  the  bench,  and  then  they  both  began  writing  to  grand- 
mamma. But  Clara  paused  after  every  sentence  to  look  about 
her;  it  was  too  beautiful  for  much  letter  writing.  The  breeze 
had  sunk  a  little,  and  now  only  gently  fanned  her  face  and 
whispered  lightly  through  the  fir  trees.  Little  winged  insects 
hummed  and  danced  around  her  in  the  clear  air,  and  a  great 
stillness  lay  over  the  far,  wide,  sunny  pasture  lands.  Lofty  and 
silent  rose  the  high  mountain  peaks  above  her,  and  below  lay 
the  whole  broad  valley  full  of  quiet  peace.  Only  now  and  again 
the  call  of  some  shepherd-boy  rang  out  through  the  air,  and 
echo  answered  softly  from  the  rocks.  The  morning  passed,  the 
children  hardly  knew  how,  and  now  grandfather  came  with  the 
mid-day  bowls  of  steaming  milk,  for  the  little  daughter,  he  said, 
was  to  remain  out  as  long  as  there  was  a  gleam  of  sun  in  the 
sky.  The  mid-day  meal  was  set  out  and  eaten  as  yesterday  in 
the  open  air.  Then  Heidi  pushed  Clara's  chair  under  the  fir 
trees,  for  they  had  agreed  to  spend  the  afternoon  under  their 
shade  and  there  tell  each  other  all  that  had  happened  since 
Heidi  left  Frankfurt.  If  everything  had  gone  on  there  as  usual 
in  a  general  way,  there  were  still  all  kinds  of  particular  things 
to  tell  Heidi  about  the  various  people  who  composed  the  Sese- 
mann  household,  and  who  were  all  so  well  known  to  Heidi. 
So  they  sat  and  chatted  under  the  trees,  and  the  more  lively 

[327] 


HEIDI 

grew  their  conversation,  the  more  loudly  sang  the  birds  over- 
head, as  if  wishing  to  take  part  in  the  children's  gossip,  which 
evidently  pleased  them.  So  the  hours  flew  by  and  all  at  once, 
as  it  seemed,  the  evening  had  come  with  the  returning  Peter, 
who  still  scowled  and  looked  angry. 

"  Good-night,  Peter,"  called  out  Heidi,  as  she  saw  he  had  no 
intention  of  stopping  to  speak. 

"Good-night,  Peter,"  called  out  Clara  in  a  friendly  voice. 
Peter  took  no  notice  and  went  surlily  on  with  his  goats. 

As  Clara  saw  the  grandfather  leading  away  Little  Swan  to 
milk  her,  she  was  suddenly  taken  with  a  longing  for  another 
bowlful  of  the  fragrant  milk,  and  waited  impatiently  for  it. 

"Isn't  it  curious,  Heidi,"  she  said,  astonished  at  herself,  "as 
long  as  I  can  remember  I  have  only  eaten  because  I  was  obliged 
to,  and  everything  used  to  seem  to  taste  of  cod-liver  oil,  and  I 
was  always  wishing  there  was  no  need  to  eat  or  drink ;  and  now 
I  am  longing  for  grandfather  to  bring  me  the  milk." 

"Yes,  I  know  what  it  feels  like,"  replied  Heidi,  who  remem- 
bered the  many  days  in  Frankfurt  when  all  her  food  used  to 
seem  to  stick  in  her  throat.  Clara,  however,  could  not  under- 
stand it;  the  fact  was  that  she  had  never  in  her  life  before 
spent  a  whole  day  in  the  open  air,  much  less  in  such  high,  life- 
giving  mountain  air.  When  grandfather  at  last  brought  her 
the  evening  milk,  she  drank  it  up  so  quickly  that  she  had 
emptied  her  bowl  before  Heidi,  and  then  she  asked  for  a  little 
more.  The  grandfather  went  inside  with  both  the  children's 
bowls,  and  when  he  brought  them  out  again  full  he  had  some- 
thing else  to  add  to  their  supper.  He  had  walked  over  that 
afternoon  to  a  herdsman's  house,  where  the  sweetly  tasting 

[328] 


HOW  LIFE  WENT  ON  AT  GRANDFATHER'S 

butter  was  made,  and  had  brought  home  a  large  pat,  some  of 
which  he  had  now  spread  thickly  on  two  good  slices  of  bread. 
He  stood  and  watched  with  pleasure  while  Clara  and  Heidi  ate 
their  appetizing  meal  with  childish  hunger  and  enjoyment. 

That  night,  when  Clara  lay  down  in  her  bed  and  prepared  to 
watch  the  stars,  her  eyes  would  not  keep  open,  and  she  fell 
asleep  as  soon  as  Heidi  and  slept  soundly  all  night — a  thing  she 
never  remembered  having  done  before.  The  following  day  and 
the  day  after  passed  in  the  same  pleasant  fashion,  and  the  third 
day  there  came  a  surprise  for  the  children.  Two  stout  porters 
came  up  the  mountain,  each  carrying  a  bed  on  his  shoulders 
with  bedding  of  all  kinds  and  two  beautiful  new  white  cover- 
lids. The  men  also  had  a  letter  with  them  from  grandmamma, 
in  which  she  said  that  these  were  for  Clara  and  Heidi,  and  that 
Heidi  in  future  was  always  to  sleep  in  a  proper  bed,  and  when 
she  went  down  to  Dorfli  in  the  winter  she  was  to  take  one  with 
her  and  leave  the  other  at  the  hut,  so  that  Clara  might  always 
know  there  was  a  bed  ready  for  her  when  she  paid  a  visit  to  the 
mountain.  She  went  on  to  thank  the  children  for  their  long 
letters  and  encouraged  them  to  continue  writing  daily,  so  that 
she  might  be  able  to  picture  all  they  were  doing. 

So  the  grandfather  went  up  and  threw  back  the  hay  from 
Heidi's  bed  on  to  the  great  heap,  and  then  with  his  help  the 
beds  were  transported  to  the  loft.  He  put  them  close  to  one 
another  so  that  the  children  might  still  be  able  to  see  out  of  the 
window,  for  he  knew  what  pleasure  they  had  in  the  light  from 
the  sun  and  stars. 

Meanwhile  grandmamma  down  at  Ragatz  was  rejoicing  at 
the  excellent  news  of  the  invalid  which  reached  her  daily  from 

[329  ] 


HEIDI 

the  mountain.  Clara  found  the  life  more  charming  each  day 
and  could  not  say  enough  of  the  kindness  and  care  which  the 
grandfather  lavished  upon  her,  nor  of  Heidi's  lively  and  amus- 
ing companionship,  for  the  latter  was  more  entertaining  even 
than  when  in  Frankfurt  with  her,  and  Clara's  first  thought 
when  she  woke  each  morning  was,  "Oh,  how  glad  I  am  to  be 
here  still." 

Having  such  fresh  assurances  each  day  that  all  was  going 
well  with  Clara,  grandmamma  thought  she  might  put  off  her 
visit  to  the  children  a  little  longer,  for  the  steep  ride  up  and 
down  was  somewhat  of  a  fatigue  to  her. 

The  grandfather  seemed  to  feel  an  especial  sympathy  for  this 
little  invalid  charge,  for  he  tried  to  think  of  something  fresh 
every  day  to  help  forward  her  recovery.  He  climbed  up  the 
mountain  every  afternoon,  higher  and  higher  each  day,  and 
came  home  in  the  evening  with  a  large  bunch  of  leaves  which 
scented  the  air  with  a  mingled  fragrance  as  of  carnations  and 
thyme,  even  from  afar.  He  hung  it  up  in  the  goat  shed,  and  the 
goats  on  their  return  were  wild  to  get  at  it,  for  they  recognized 
the  smell.  But  Uncle  did  not  go  climbing  after  rare  plants  to 
give  the  goats  the  pleasure  of  eating  them  without  any  trouble 
of  finding  them;  what  he  gathered  was  for  Little  Swan  alone, 
that  she  might  give  extra  fine  milk,  and  the  effect  of  the  extra 
feeding  was  shown  in  the  way  she  flung  her  head  in  the  air  with 
ever-increasing  frolicsomeness,  and  in  the  bright  glow  of  her 
eye. 

Clara  had  now  been  on  the  mountain  for  three  weeks.  For 
some  days  past  the  grandfather,  each  morning  after  carrying 
her  down,  had  said,  "Won't  the  little  daughter  try  if  she  can 

[330] 


HOW  LIFE  WENT  ON  AT  GRANDFATHER'S 

stand  for  a  minute  or  two?"  And  Clara  had  made  the  effort 
in  order  to  please  him,  but  had  clung  to  him  as  soon  as  her  feet 
touched  the  ground,  exclaiming  that  it  hurt  her  so.  He  let  her 
try  a  little  longer,  however,  each  day. 

It  was  many  years  since  they  had  had  such  a  splendid  sum- 
mer among  the  mountains.  Day  after  day  there  were  the  same 
cloudless  sky  and  brilliant  sun;  the  flowers  opened  wide  their 
fragrant  blossoms,  and  everywhere  the  eye  was  greeted  with  a 
glow  of  color;  and  when  the  evening  came  the  crimson  light 
fell  on  mountain  peaks  and  on  the  great  snow  field,  till  at  last 
the  sun  sank  in  a  sea  of  golden  flame. 

And  Heidi  never  tired  of  telling  Clara  of  all  this,  for  only 
higher  up  could  the  full  glory  of  the  colors  be  rightly  seen ;  and 
more  particularly  did  she  dwell  on  the  beauty  of  the  spot  on 
the  higher  slope  of  the  mountain,  where  the  bright  golden  rock- 
roses  grew  in  masses,  and  the  blue  flowers  were  in  such  numbers 
that  the  very  grass  seemed  to  have  turned  blue,  while  near 
these  were  whole  bushes  of  the  brown  blossoms,  with  their 
delicious  scent,  so  that  you  never  wanted  to  move  again  when 
you  once  sat  down  among  them. 

She  had  just  been  expatiating  on  the  flowers  as  she  sat  with 
Clara  under  the  fir  trees  one  evening,  and  had  been  telling  her 
again  of  the  wonderful  light  from  the  evening  sun,  when  such 
an  irrepressible  longing  came  over  her  to  see  it  all  once  more 
that  she  jumped  up  and  ran  to  her  grandfather,  who  was  in  the 
shed,  calling  out  almost  before  she  was  inside, — 

"Grandfather,  will  you  take  us  out  with  the  goats  to-mor- 
row?  Oh,  it  is  so  lovely  up  there  now!" 

"Very  well,"  he  answered,  "but  if  I  do,  the  little  daughter 

[331  ] 


HEIDI 

must  do  something  to  please  me:  she  must  try  her  best  again 
this  evening  to  stand  on  her  feet." 

Heidi  ran  back  with  the  good  news  to  Clara,  and  the  latter 
promised  to  try  her  very  best  as  the  grandfather  wished,  for 
she  looked  forward  immensely  to  the  next  day's  excursion. 
Heidi  was  so  pleased  and  excited  that  she  called  out  to  Peter  as 
soon  as  she  caught  sight  of  him  that  evening, — 

"Peter,  Peter,  we  are  all  coming  out  with  you  to-morrow  and 
are  going  to  stay  up  there  the  whole  day." 

Peter,  cross  as  a  bear,  grumbled  some  reply,  and  lifted  his 
stick  to  give  Greenfinch  a  blow  for  no  reason  in  particular,  but 
Greenfinch  saw  the  movement,  and  with  a  leap  over  Snow- 
flake's  back  she  got  out  of  the  way,  and  the  stick  only  hit  the 
air. 

Clara  and  Heidi  got  into  their  two  fine  beds  that  night  full 
of  delightful  anticipation  of  the  morrow;  they  were  so  full  of 
their  plans  that  they  agreed  to  keep  awake  all  night  and  talk 
over  them  until  they  might  venture  to  get  up.  But  their  heads 
had  no  sooner  touched  their  soft  pillows  than  the  conversation 
suddenly  ceased,  and  Clara  fell  into  a  dream  of  an  immense 
field,  which  looked  the  color  of  the  sky,  so  thickly  inlaid  was  it 
with  blue  bell-shaped  flowers;  and  Heidi  heard  the  great  bird 
of  prey  calling  to  her  from  the  heights  above,  "Come!  come! 
come!" 


[332] 


"VWW'ffil" '  mnm'miiamMiwn&aBxeiBBeggs 


CHAPTER  XXII 
SOMETHING  UNEXPECTED  HAPPENS 

UNCLE  went  out  early  the  next  morning  to  see  what 
kind  of  a  day  it  was  going  to  be.  There  was  a  reddish 
gold  light  over  the  higher  peaks;  a  light  breeze  spring- 
ing up  and  the  branches  of  the  fir  trees  moved  gently  to  and  fro 
—the  sun  was  on  its  way. 

The  old  man  stood  and  watched  the  green  slopes  under  the 
higher  peaks  gradually  growing  brighter  with  the  coming  day 
and  the  dark  shadows  lifting  from  the  valley,  until  at  first  a 
rosy  light  filled  its  hollows,  and  then  the  morning  gold  flooded 
every  height  and  depth — the  sun  had  risen. 

Uncle  wheeled  the  chair  out  of  the  shed  ready  for  the  coming 
journey,  and  then  went  in  to  call  the  children  and  tell  them 
what  a  lovely  sunrise  it  was. 

Peter  came  up  at  this  moment.  The  goats  did  not  gather 
round  him  so  trustfully  as  usual,  but  seemed  to  avoid  him 
timidly,  for  Peter  had  reached  a  high  pitch  of  anger  and  bitter- 
ness, and  was  laying  about  him  with  his  stick  very  unneces- 
sarily, and  where  it  fell  the  blow  was  no  light  one.  For  weeks 
now  he  had  not  had  Heidi  all  to  himself  as  formerly.  When 
he  came  up  in  the  morning  the  invalid  child  was  always  already 
in  her  chair  and  Heidi  fully  occupied  with  her.  And  it  was  the 
same  thing  over  again  when  he  came  down  in  the  evening.  She 
had  not  come  out  with  the  goats  once  this  summer,  and  now 

[335] 


HEIDI 

to-day  she  was  only  coming  in  company  with  her  friend  and 
the  chair,  and  would  stick  by  the  latter's  side  the  whole  time. 
It  was  the  thought  of  this  which  was  making  him  particularly 
cross  this  morning.  There  stood  the  chair  on  its  high  wheels; 
Peter  seemed  to  see  something  proud  and  disdainful  about  it, 
and  he  glared  at  it  as  at  an  enemy  that  had  done  him  harm  and 
was  likely  to  do  him  more  still  to-day.  He  glanced  round — 
there  was  no  sound  anywhere,  no  one  to  see  him.  He  sprang 
forward  like  a  wild  creature,  caught  hold  of  it,  and  gave  it  a 
violent  and  angry  push  in  the  direction  of  the  slope.  The  chair 
rolled  swiftly  forward  and  in  another  minute  had  disappeared. 
Peter  now  sped  up  the  mountain  as  if  on  wings,  not  pausing 
till  he  was  well  in  shelter  of  a  large  blackberry  bush,  for  he  had 
no  wish  to  be  seen  by  Uncle.  But  he  was  anxious  to  see  what 
had  become  of  the  chair,  and  his  bush  was  well  placed  for  that. 
Himself  hidden,  he  could  watch  what  happened  below  and  see 
what  Uncle  did  without  being  discovered  himself.  So  he  looked, 
and  there  he  saw  his  enemy  running  faster  and  faster  down  hill, 
then  it  turned  head  over  heels  several  times,  and  finally,  after 
one  great  bound,  rolled  over  and  over  to  its  complete  destruc- 
tion. The  pieces  flew  in  every  direction — feet,  arms,  and  torn 
fragments  of  the  padded  seat  and  bolster — and  Peter  experi- 
enced a  feeling  of  such  unbounded  delight  at  the  sight  that  he 
leaped  in  the  air,  laughing  aloud  and  stamping  for  joy;  then  he 
took  a  run  round,  jumping  over  bushes  on  the  way,  only  to 
return  to  the  same  spot  and  fall  into  fresh  fits  of  laughter.  He 
was  beside  himself  with  satisfaction,  for  he  could  see  only  good 
results  for  himself  in  this  disaster  to  his  enemy.  Now  Heidi's 
friend  would  be  obliged  to  go  away,  for  she  would  have  no 

[336] 


SOMETHING  UNEXPECTED  HAPPENS 

means  of  going  about,  and  when  Heidi  was  alone  again  she 
would  come  out  with  him  as  in  the  old  days,  and  everything 
would  go  on  in  the  proper  way  again.  But  Peter  did  not  con- 
sider, or  did  not  know,  that  when  we  do  a  wrong  thing  trouble 
is  sure  to  follow. 

Heidi  now  came  running  out  of  the  hut  and  round  to  the 
shed.  Grandfather  was  behind  with  Clara  in  his  arms.  The 
shed  stood  wide  open,  the  two  loose  planks  having  been  taken 
down,  and  it  was  quite  light  inside.  Heidi  looked  into  every 
corner  and  ran  from  one  end  to  the  other,  and  then  stood  still 
wondering  what  could  have  happened  to  the  chair.  Grand- 
father now  came  up. 

"How  is  this,  have  you  wheeled  the  chair  away,  Heidi?" 

"I  have  been  looking  everywhere  for  it,  grandfather;  you 
said  it  was  standing  ready  outside,"  and  she  again  searched 
each  corner  of  the  shed  with  her  eyes. 

At  that  moment  the  wind,  which  had  risen  suddenly,  blew 
open  the  shed  door  and  sent  it  banging  back  against  the  wall. 

"It  must  have  been  the  wind,  grandfather,"  exclaimed 
Heidi,  and  her  eyes  grew  anxious  at  this  sudden  discovery. 
"Oh!  if  it  has  blown  the  chair  all  the  way  down  to  Dorfli  we 
shall  not  get  it  back  in  time,  and  shall  not  be  able  to  go." 

"If  it  has  rolled  as  far  as  that  it  will  never  come  back,  for  it 
is  in  a  hundred  pieces  by  now,"  said  the  grandfather,  going 
round  the  corner  and  looking  down.  "But  it's  a  curious  thing 
to  have  happened!"  he  added  as  he  thought  over  the  matter, 
for  the  chair  would  have  had  to  turn  a  corner  before  starting 
down  hill. 

"Oh,  I  am  sorry,"  lamented  Clara,  "for  we  shall  not  be  able 

[337] 


HEIDI 

to  go  to-day,  or  perhaps  any  other  day.  I  shall  have  to  go 
home,  I  suppose,  if  I  have  no  chair.  Oh,  I  am  so  sorry,  I  am  so 
sorry ! 

But  Heidi  looked  towards  her  grandfather  with  her  usual 
expression  of  confidence. 

"Grandfather,  you  will  be  able  to  do  something,  won't  you, 
so  that  it  need  not  be  as  Clara  says,  and  so  that  she  is  not 
obliged  to  go  home?" 

"Well,  for  the  present  we  will  go  up  the  mountain  as  we  had 
arranged,  and  then  later  on  we  will  see  what  can  be  done,"  he 
answered,  much  to  the  children's  delight. 

He  went  indoors,  fetched  out  a  pile  of  shawls,  and  laying 
them  on  the  sunniest  spot  he  could  find  set  Clara  down  upon 
them.  Then  he  fetched  the  children's  morning  milk  and  had 
out  his  two  goats. 

"Why  is  Peter  not  here  yet?"  thought  Uncle  to  himself,  for 
Peter's  whistle  had  not  been  sounded  that  morning.  The 
grandfather  now  took  Clara  up  on  one  arm,  and  the  shawls  on 
the  other. 

"Now  then  we  will  start,"  he  said;  "  the  goats  can  come  with 
us. 

Heidi  was  pleased  at  this  and  walked  on  after  her  grand- 
father with  an  arm  over  either  of  the  goats'  necks,  and  the 
animals  were  so  overjoyed  to  have  her  again  that  they  nearly 
squeezed  her  flat  between  them  out  of  sheer  affection.  When 
they  reached  the  spot  where  the  goats  usually  pastured  they 
were  surprised  to  find  them  already  feeding  there,  climbing 
about  the  rocks,  and  Peter  with  them,  lying  his  full  length  on 
the  ground. 

[338] 


ox 


SOMETHING  UNEXPECTED  HAPPENS 

"I'll  teach  you  another  time  to  go  by  like  that,  you  lazy 
rascal !  What  do  you  mean  by  it?  "  Uncle  called  to  him. 

Peter,  recognizing  the  voice,  jumped  up  like  a  shot.  "  No  one 
was  up,"  he  answered. 

"Have  you  seen  anything  of  the  chair?"  asked  the  grand- 
father. 

"Of  what  chair?"  called  Peter  back  in  answer  in  a  morose 
tone  of  voice. 

Uncle  said  no  more.  He  spread  the  shawls  on  the  sunny 
slope,  and  setting  Clara  upon  them  asked  if  she  was  comfort- 
able. 

"As  comfortable  as  in  my  chair,"  she  said,  thanking  him, 
"and  this  seems  the  most  beautiful  spot.  Oh  Heidi,  it  is  lovely, 
it  is  lovely ! "  she  cried,  looking  round  her  with  delight. 

The  grandfather  prepared  to  leave  them.  They  would  now 
be  safe  and  happy  together,  he  said,  and  when  it  was  time  for 
dinner  Heidi  was  to  go  and  fetch  the  bag  from  the  shady  hollow 
where  he  had  put  it;  Peter  was  to  bring  them  as  much  milk  as 
they  wanted,  but  Heidi  was  to  see  that  it  was  Little  Swan's 
milk.  He  would  come  and  fetch  them  towards  evening;  he 
must  now  be  off  to  see  after  the  chair  and  ascertain  what  had 
become  of  it. 

The  sky  was  dark  blue,  and  not  a  single  cloud  was  to  be  seen 
from  one  horizon  to  the  other.  The  great  snowfield  overhead 
sparkled  as  if  set  with  thousands  and  thousands  of  gold  and 
silver  stars.  The  two  gray  mountain  peaks  lifted  their  lofty 
heads  against  the  sky  and  looked  solemnly  down  upon  the 
valley  as  of  old;  the  great  bird  was  poised  aloft  in  the  clear  blue 
air,  and  the  mountain  wind  came  over  the  heights  and  blew 

[339] 


HEIDI 

refreshingly  around  the  children  as  they  sat  on  the  sunlit 
slope.  It  was  all  indescribably  enjoyable  to  Clara  and  Heidi. 
Now  and  again  a  young  goat  came  and  lay  down  beside  them; 
Snowflake  came  oftenest,  putting  her  little  head  down  near 
Heidi,  and  only  moving  because  another  goat  came  and  drove 
her  away.  Clara  had  learned  to  know  them  all  so  well  that  she 
never  mistook  one  for  the  other  now,  for  each  had  an  expression 
and  ways  of  its  own.  And  the  goats  had  also  grown  familiar 
with  Clara  and  would  rub  their  heads  against  her  shoulder, 
which  was  always  a  sign  of  acquaintanceship  and  goodwill. 

Some  hours  went  by,  and  Heidi  began  to  think  that  she 
might  just  go  over  to  the  spot  where  all  the  flowers  grew  to  see 
if  they  were  fully  blown  and  looking  as  lovely  as  the  year 
before.  Clara  could  not  go  until  grandfather  came  back  that 
evening,  when  the  flowers  probably  would  be  already  closed. 
The  longing  to  go  became  stronger  and  stronger,  till  she  felt 
she  could  not  resist  it. 

"Would  you  think  me  unkind,  Clara,"  she  said  rather  hesi- 
tatingly, "if  I  left  you  for  a  few  minutes?  I  should  run  there 
and  back  very  quickly.  I  want  so  to  see  how  the  flowers  are 
looking — but  wait — "  for  an  idea  had  come  into  Heidi's  head. 
She  ran  and  picked  a  bunch  or  two  of  green  leaves,  and  then 
took  hold  of  Snowflake  and  led  her  up  to  Clara. 

"There,  now  you  will  not  be  alone,"  said  Heidi,  giving  the 
goat  a  little  push  to  show  her  she  was  to  lie  down  near  Clara, 
which  the  animal  quite  understood.  Heidi  threw  the  leaves 
into  Clara's  lap,  and  the  latter  told  her  friend  to  go  at  once  to 
look  at  the  flowers  as  she  was  quite  happy  to  be  left  with  the 
goat;  she  liked  this  new  experience.   Heidi  ran  off,  and  Clara 

[340  ] 


SOMETHING  UNEXPECTED  HAPPENS 

began  to  hold  out  the  leaves  one  by  one  to  Snowflake,  who 
snoozled  up  to  her  new  friend  in  a  confiding  manner  and  slowly 
ate  the  leaves  from  her  hand.  It  was  easy  to  see  that  Snow- 
flake  enjoyed  this  peaceful  and  sheltered  way  of  feeding,  for 
when  with  the  other  goats  she  had  much  persecution  to  endure 
from  the  larger  and  stronger  ones  of  the  flock.  And  Clara 
found  a  strange  new  pleasure  in  sitting  all  alone  like  this  on  the 
mountainside,  her  only  companion  a  little  goat  that  looked 
to  her  for  protection.  She  suddenly  felt  a  great  desire  to  be  her 
own  mistress  and  to  be  able  to  help  others,  instead  of  herself 
being  always  dependent  as  she  was  now.  Many  thoughts, 
unknown  to  her  before,  came  crowding  into  her  mind,  and  a 
longing  to  go  on  living  in  the  sunshine,  and  to  be  doing  some- 
thing that  would  bring  happiness  to  another,  as  now  she  was 
helping  to  make  the  goat  happy.  An  unaccustomed  feeling  of 
joy  took  possession  of  her,  as  if  everything  she  had  ever  known 
or  felt  became  all  at  once  more  beautiful,  and  she  seemed  to 
see  'all  things  in  a  new  light,  and  so  strong  was  the  sense  of  this 
new  beauty  and  happiness  that  she  threw  her  arms  round  the 
little  goat's  neck,  and  exclaimed,  "Oh,  Snowflake,  how  delight- 
ful it  is  up  here !  if  only  I  could  stay  on  forever  with  you  beside 
me!" 

Heidi  had  meanwhile  reached  her  field  of  flowers,  and  as  she 
caught  sight  of  it  she  uttered  a  cry  of  joy.  The  whole  ground 
in  front  of  her  was. a  mass  of  shimmering  gold,  where  the  cistus 
flowers  spread  their  yellow  blossoms.  Above  them  waved  whole 
bushes  of  the  deep  blue  bell-flowers;  while  the  fragrance  that 
arose  from  the  whole  sunlit  expanse  was  as  if  the  rarest  balsam 
had  been  flung  over  it.    The  scent,  however,  came  from  the 

[  341  ] 


HEIDI 

small  brown  flowers,  the  little  round  heads  of  which  rose 
modestly  here  and  there  among  the  yellow  blossoms.  Heidi 
stood  and  gazed  and  drew  in  the  delicious  air.  Suddenly  she 
turned  round  and  reached  Clara's  side  out  of  breath  with 
running  and  excitement.  "Oh,  you  must  come,"  she  called 
out  as  soon  as  she  came  in  sight,  "it  is  more  beautiful 
than  you  can  imagine,  and  perhaps  this  evening  it  may 
not  be  so  lovely.  I  believe  I  could  carry  you,  don't  you  think 
I  could?" 

Clara  looked  at  her  and  shook  her  head.  "Why,  Heidi,  what 
can  you  be  thinking  of!  you  are  smaller  than  I  am.  Oh,  if  only 
I  could  walk!" 

Heidi  looked  round  as  if  in  search  of  something,  some  new 
idea  had  evidently  come  into  her  head.  Peter  was  sitting  up 
above  looking  down  on  the  two  children.  He  had  been  sitting 
and  staring  before  him  in  the  same  way  for  hours,  as  if  he  could 
not  make  out  what  he  saw.  He  had  destroyed  the  chair  so  that 
the  friend  might  not  be  able  to  move  anywhere  and  that  her 
visit  might  come  to  an  end,  and  then  a  little  while  after  she 
had  appeared  right  up  here  under  his  very  nose  with  Heidi 
beside  her.  He  thought  his  eyes  must  deceive  him,  and  yet 
there  she  was  and  no  mistake  about  it. 

Heidi  now  looked  up  to  where  he  was  sitting  and  called  out 
in  a  peremptory  voice,  "Peter,  come  down  here!" 

"I  don't  wish  to  come,"  he  called  in  reply. 

"But  you  are  to,  you  must;  I  cannot  do  it  alone,  and  you 
must  come  here  and  help  me;  make  haste  and  come  down," 
she  called  again  in  an  urgent  voice. 

"I  shall  do  nothing  of  the  kind,"  was  the  answer. 

[342] 


SOMETHING  UNEXPECTED  HAPPENED 

Heidi  ran  some  way  up  the  slope  towards  him,  and  then 
pausing  called  again,  her  eyes  ablaze  with  anger,  "If  you 
don't  come  at  once,  Peter,  I  will  do  something  to  you  that  you 
won't  like;  I  mean  what  I  say." 

Peter  felt  an  inward  throe  at  these  words,  and  a  great  fear 
seized  him.  He  had  done  something  wicked  which  he  wanted 
no  one  to  know  about,  and  so  far  he  had  thought  himself  safe. 
But  now  Heidi  spoke  exactly  as  if  she  knew  everything,  and 
whatever  she  did  know  she  would  tell  her  grandfather,  and 
there  was  no  one  he  feared  so  much  as  this  latter  person.  Sup- 
posing he  were  to  suspect  what  had  happened  about  the  chair ! 
Peter's  anguish  of  mind  grew  more  acute.  He  stood  up  and 
went  down  to  where  Heidi  was  awaiting  him. 

"I  am  coming  and  you  won't  do  what  you  said." 

Peter  appeared  now  so  submissive  with  fear  that  Heidi  felt 
quite  sorry  for  him  and  answered  assuringly,  "No,  no,  of 
course  not;  come  along  with  me,  there  is  nothing  to  be  afraid  of 
in  what  I  want  you  to  do.  " 

As  soon  as  they  got  to  Clara,  Heidi  gave  her  orders:  Peter 
was  to  take  hold  of  her  under  the  arms  on  one  side  and  she  on 
the  other,  and  together  they  were  to  lift  her  up.  This  first 
movement  was  successfully  carried  through,  but  then  came  the 
difficulty.  As  Clara  could  not  even  stand,  how  were  they  to 
support  her  and  get  her  along?  Heidi  was  too  small  for  her 
arm  to  serve  Clara  to  lean  upon. 

"You  must  put  one  arm  well  around  my  neck — so,  and  put 
the  other  through  Peter's  and  lean  firmly  upon  it,  then  we 
shall  be  able  to  carry  you." 

Peter,  however,  had  never  given  his  arm  to  any  one  in  his 

[343] 


HEIDI 

life.    Clara  put  hers  in  his,  but  he  kept  his  own    hanging 
down  straight  beside  him  like  a  stick. 

"That's  not  the  way,  Peter,"  said  Heidi  in  an  authoritative 
voice.  "You  must  put  your  arm  out  in  the  shape  of  a  ring,  and 
Clara  must  put  hers  through  it  and  lean  her  weight  upon  you, 
and  whatever  you  do,  don't  let  your  arm  give  way;  like  that  I 
am  sure  we  shall  be  able  to  manage." 

Peter  did  as  he  was  told,  but  still  they  did  not  get  on  very 
well.  Clara  was  not  such  a  light  weight,  and  the  team  did  not 
match  very  well  in  size;  it  was  up  one  side  and  down  the  other, 
so  that  the  supports  were  rather  wobbly. 

Clara  tried  to  use  her  own  feet  a  little,  but  each  time  drew 
them  quickly  back. 

"Put  your  foot  down  firmly  once,"  suggested  Heidi,  "I  am 
sure  it  will  hurt  you  less  after  that." 

"  Do  you  think  so?  "  said  Clara  hesitatingly,  but  she  followed 
Heidi's  advice  and  ventured  one  firm  step  on  the  ground  and 
then  another;  she  called  out  a  little  as  she  did  it;  then  she  lifted 
her  foot  again  and  went  on,  "Oh,  that  was  less  painful  already," 
she  exclaimed  joyfully. 

"Try  again,"  said  Heidi  encouragingly. 

And  Clara  went  on  putting  one  foot  out  after  another  until 
all  at  once  she  called  out,  "I  can  do  it,  Heidi!  look!  look!  I 
can  make  proper  steps ! " 

And  Heidi  cried  out  with  even  greater  delight,  "Can  you 
really  make  steps,  can  you  really  walk?  really  walk  by  your- 
self? Oh,  if  only  grandfather  were  here!"  and  she  continued 
gleefully  to  exclaim,  "You  can  walk  now,  Clara,  you  can 
walk!" 

[344] 


"  Put  vour  foot  down  firmly  once,"  suggested  Heidi. 
{Page  344) 


SOMETHING  UNEXPECTED  HAPPENS 

Clara  still  held  on  firmly  to  her  supports,  but  with  every 
step  she  felt  safer  on  her  feet,  as  all  three  became  aware,  and 
Heidi  was  beside  herself  with  joy. 

"Now  we  shall  be  able  to  come  up  here  together  every  day, 
and  go  just  where  we  like;  and  you  will  be  able  all  your  life  to 
walk  about  as  I  do,  and  not  have  to  be  pushed  in  a  chair,  and 
you  will  get  quite  strong  and  well.  It  is  the  greatest  happiness 
we  could  have  had ! " 

And  Clara  heartily  agreed,  for  she  could  think  of  no  greater 
joy  in  the  world  than  to  be  strong  and  able  to  go  about  like 
other  people,  and  no  longer  to  have  to  lie  from  day  to  day  in 
her  invalid  chair. 

They  had  not  far  to  go  to  reach  the  field  of  flowers,  and 
could  already  catch  sight  of  the  cistus  flowers  glowing  gold  in 
the  sun.  As  they  came  to  the  bushes  of  the  blue  bell-flowers, 
with  sunny,  inviting  patches  of  warm  ground  between  them, 
Clara  said,  "Mightn't  we  sit  down  here  for  a  while?" 

This  was  just  what  Heidi  enjoyed,  and  so  the  children  sat 
down  in  the  midst  of  the  flowers,  Clara  for  the  first  time  on  the 
dry,  warm  mountain  grass,  and  she  found  it  indescribably 
delightful.  Around  her  were  the  blue  flowers  softly  waving  to 
and  fro,  and  beyond  the  gleaming  patches  of  the  cistus  flowers 
and  the  red  centaury,  while  the  sweet  scent  of  the  brown  blos- 
soms and  of  the  fragrant  prunella  enveloped  her  as  she  sat. 
Everything  was  so  lovely !  so  lovely !  And  Heidi,  who  was  beside 
her,  thought  she  had  never  seen  it  so  perfectly  beautiful  up 
here  before,  and  she  did  not  know  herself  why  she  felt  so  glad 
at  heart  that  she  longed  to  shout  for  joy.  Then  she  suddenly 
remembered  that  Clara  was  cured;  that  was  the  crowning 

[  345  ] 


HEIDI 

delight  of  all  that  made  life  so  delightful  in  the  midst  of  all  this 
surrounding  beauty.  Clara  sat  silent,  overcome  with  the 
enchantment  of  all  that  her  eye  rested  upon,  and  with  the 
anticipation  of  all  the  happiness  that  was  now  before  her. 
There  seemed  hardly  room  in  her  heart  for  all  her  joyful  emo- 
tions, and  these  and  the  ecstasy  aroused  by  the  sunlight  and 
the  scent  of  the  flowers,  held  her  dumb. 

Peter  also  lay  among  the  flowers  without  moving  or  speaking, 
for  he  was  fast  asleep.  The  breeze  came  blowing  softly  and 
caressingly  from  behind  the  sheltering  rocks,  and  passed 
whisperingly  through  the  bushes  overhead.  Heidi  got  up  now 
and  then  to  run  about,  for  the  flowers  waving  in  the  warm 
wind  seemed  to  smell  sweeter  and  to  grow  more  thickly  which- 
ever way  she  went,  and  she  felt  she  must  sit  down  at  each 
fresh  spot  to  enjoy  the  sight  and  scent.   So  the  hours  went  by. 

It  was  long  past  noon  when  a  small  troop  of  goats  advanced 
solemnly  towards  the  plain  of  flowers.  It  was  not  a  feeding 
place  of  theirs,  for  they  did  not  care  to  graze  on  flowers.  They 
looked  like  an  embassy  arriving,  with  Greenfinch  as  their 
leader.  They  had  evidently  come  in  search  of  their  companions 
who  had  left  them  in  the  lurch,  and  who  had,  contrary  to  all 
custom,  remained  away  so  long,  for  the  goats  could  tell  the 
time  without  mistake.  As  soon  as  Greenfinch  caught  sight  of 
the  three  missing  friends  amid  the  flowers  she  set  up  an  extra 
loud  bleat,  whereupon  all  the  others  joined  in  a  chorus  of 
bleats,  and  the  whole  company  came  trotting  towards  the 
children.  Peter  woke  up,  rubbing  his  eyes,  for  he  had  been 
dreaming  that  he  saw  the  chair  again  with  its  beautiful  red 
padding   standing   whole   and   uninjured   before   the  grand- 

[  346  ] 


SOMETHING  UNEXPECTED  HAPPENS 

father's  door,  and  indeed  just  as  lie  awoke  he  thought  he  was 
looking  at  the  brass-headed  nails  that  studded  it  all  round,  but 
it  was  only  the  bright  yellow  flowers  beside  him.  He  experi- 
enced again  a  dreadful  fear  of  mind  that  he  had  lost  in  this 
dream  of  the  uninjured  chair.  Even  though  Heidi  had  promised 
not  to  do  anything,  there  still  remained  the  lively  dread  that 
his  deed  might  be  found  out  in  some  other  way.  He  allowed 
Heidi  to  do  what  she  liked  with  him,  for  he  was  reduced  to  such 
a  state  of  low  spirits  and  meekness  that  he  was  ready  to  give 
his  help  to  Clara  without  murmur  or  resistance. 

When  all  three  had  got  back  to  their  old  quarters  Heidi  ran 
and  brought  forward  the  bag,  and  proceeded  to  fulfil  her 
promise,  for  her  threat  of  the  morning  had  been  concerned 
with  Peter's  dinner.  She  had  seen  her  grandfather  putting  in 
all  sorts  of  good  things,  and  had  been  pleased  to  think  of  Peter 
having  a  large  share  of  them,  and  she  had  meant  him  to  under- 
stand when  he  refused  at  first  to  help  her  that  he  would  get 
nothing  for  his  dinner,  but  Peter's  conscience  had  put  another 
interpretation  upon  her  words.  Heidi  took  the  food  out  of  the 
bag  and  divided  it  into  three  portions,  and  each  was  of  such  a 
goodly  size  that  she  thought  to  herself,  "There  will  be  plenty 
of  ours  left  for  him  to  have  more  still." 

She  gave  the  other  two  their  dinners  and  sat  down  with  her 
own  beside  Clara,  and  they  all  three  ate  with  a  good  appetite 
after  their  great  exertions. 

It  ended  as  Heidi  had  expected,  and  Peter  got  as  much  food 
again  as  his  own  share  with  what  Clara  and  Heidi  had  over 
from  theirs  after  they  had  both  eaten  as  much  as  they  wanted. 
Peter  ate  up  every  bit  of  food  to  the  last  crumb,  but  there  was 

[  347  ] 


HEIDI 

something  wanting  to  his  usual  enjoyment  of  a  good  dinner, 
for  every  mouthful  he  swallowed  seemed  to  choke  him,  and  he 
felt  something  gnawing  inside  him. 

They  were  so  late  at  their  dinner  that  they  had  not  long  to 
wait  after  they  had  finished  before  grandfather  came  up  to 
fetch  them.  Heidi  rushed  forward  to  meet  him  as  soon  as  he 
appeared,  as  she  wanted  to  be  the  first  to  tell  him  the  good 
news.  She  was  so  excited  that  she  could  hardly  get  her  words 
out  when  she  did  get  up  to  him,  but  he  soon  understood,  and  a 
look  of  extreme  pleasure  came  into  his  face.  He  hastened  up  to 
where  Clara  was  sitting  and  said  with  a  cheerful  smile,  "So 
we've  made  the  effort,  have  we,  and  won  the  day ! " 

Then  he  lifted  her  up,  and  putting  his  left  arm  behind  her 
and  giving  her  his  right  to  lean  upon,  made  her  walk  a  little 
way,  which  she  did  with  less  trembling  and  hesitation  than 
before  now  that  she  had  such  a  strong  arm  round  her. 

Heidi  skipped  along  beside  her  in  triumphant  glee,  and  the 
grandfather  looked  too  as  if  some  happiness  had  befallen  him. 
But  now  he  took  Clara  up  in  his  arms.  "We  must  not  overdo 
it,"  he  said,  "  and  it  is  high  time  we  went  home,"  and  he  started 
off  down  the  mountain  path,  for  he  was  anxious  to  get  her 
indoors  that  she  might  rest  after  her  unusual  fatigue. 

When  Peter  got  to  Dbrfli  that  evening  he  found  a  large  group 
of  people  collected  round  a  certain  spot,  pushing  one  another 
and  looking  over  each  other's  shoulders  in  their  eagerness  to 
catch  sight  of  something  lying  on  the  ground.  Peter  thought 
he  should  like  to  see  too,  and  poked  and  elbowed  till  he  made 
his  way  through. 

There  it  lay,  the  thing  he  had  wanted  to  see.  Scattered  about 

[348  ] 


SOMETHING  UNEXPECTED  HAPPENS 

the  grass  were  the  remains  of  Clara's  chair;  part  of  the  back 
and  the  middle  bit,  and  enough  of  the  red  padding  and  the 
bright  nails  to  show  how  magnificent  the  chair  had  been  when 
it  was  entire. 

"I  was  here  when  the  men  passed  carrying  it  up,"  said  the 
baker  who  was  standing  near  Peter.  "I'll  bet  any  one  that  it 
was  worth  twenty-five  pounds  at  least.  I  cannot  think  how 
such  an  accident  could  have  happened." 

"Uncle  said  the  wind  might  perhaps  have  done  it,"  remarked 
one  of  the  women,  who  could  not  sufficiently  admire  the  red 
upholstery. 

"It's  a  good  job  that  no  one  but  the  wind  did  it,"  said  the 
baker  again,  "or  he  might  smart  for  it!  No  doubt  the  gentle- 
man in  Frankfurt  when  he  hears  what  has  happened  will  make 
all  inquiries  about  it.  I  am  glad  for  myself  that  I  have  not  been 
seen  up  the  mountain  for  a  good  two  years,  as  suspicion  is 
likely  to  fall  on  any  one  who  was  about  up  there  at  the  time." 

Many  more  opinions  were  passed  on  the  matter,  but  Peter 
had  heard  enough.  He  crept  quietly  away  out  of  the  crowd  and 
then  took  to  his  heels  and  ran  up  home  as  fast  as  he  could,  as 
if  he  thought  some  one  was  after  him.  The  baker's  words  had 
filled  him  with  fear  and  trembling.  He  was  sure  now  that  any 
day  a  constable  might  come  over  from  Frankfurt  and  inquire 
about  the  destruction  of  the  chair,  and  then  everything  would 
come  out,  and  he  would  be  seized  and  carried  off  to  Frankfurt 
and  there  put  in  prison.  The  whole  picture  of  what  was  coming 
was  clear  before  him,  and  his  hair  stood  on  end  with  terror. 

He  reached  home  in  this  disturbed  state  of  mind.  He  would 
not  open  his  mouth  in  reply  to  anything  that  was  said  to  him; 

[349  ] 


\ 


HEIDI 

he  would  not  eat  his  potatoes;  all  he  did  was  to  creep  off  to  bed 
as  quickly  as  possible  and  hide  under  the  bedclothes  and  groan. 

"Peter  has  been  eating  sorrel  again,  and  is  evidently  in  pain 
by  the  way  he  is  groaning,"  said  Brigitta. 

"You  must  give  him  a  little  more  bread  to  take  with  him; 
give  him  a  bit  of  mine  to-morrow,"  said  the  grandmother  sym- 
pathizingly. 

As  the  children  lay  that  night  in  bed  looking  out  at  the  stars 
Heidi  said,  "I  have  been  thinking  all  day  what  a  happy  thing 
it  is  that  God  does  not  give  us  what  we  ask  for,  even  when  we 
pray  and  pray  and  pray,  if  He  knows  there  is  something  better 
for  us;  have  you  felt  like  that?" 

"Why  do  you  ask  me  that  to-night  all  of  a  sudden?"  asked 
Clara. 

"Because  I  prayed  so  hard  when  I  was  in  Frankfurt  that  I 
might  go  home  at  once,  and  because  I  was  not  allowed  to  I 
thought  God  had  forgotten  me.  And  now  you  see,  if  I  had 
come  away  at  first  when  I  wanted  to,  you  would  never  have 
come  here,  and  would  never  have  got  well." 

Clara  had  in  her  turn  become  thoughtful.  "But,  Heidi," 
she  began  again,  "in  that  case  we  ought  never  to  pray  for  any- 
thing, as  God  always  intends  something  better  for  us  than  we 
know  or  wish  for." 

"You  must  not  think  it  is  like  that,  Clara,"  replied  Heidi 
eagerly.  "We  must  go  on  praying  for  everything,  for  every- 
thing, so  that  God  may  know  we  do  not  forget  that  it  all  comes 
from  Him.  If  we  forget  God,  then  He  lets  us  go  our  own  way 
and  we  get  into  trouble;  grandmamma  told  me  so.  And  if  He 
does  not  give  us  what  we  ask  for  we  must  not  think  that  He 

[350  ] 


/ 


SOMETHING  UNEXPECTED  HAPPENS 

has  not  heard  us  and  leave  off  praying,  but  we  must  still  pray 
and  say,  I  am  sure,  dear  God,  that  Thou  art  keeping  some- 
thing better  for  me,  and  I  will  not  be  unhappy,  for  I  know  that 
Thou  wilt  make  everything  right  in  the  end." 

"How  did  you  learn  all  that?  "  asked  Clara. 

"  Grandmamma  explained  it  to  me  first  of  all,  and  then,  when 
it  all  happened  just  as  she  said,  I  knew  it  myself,  and  I  think, 
Clara,"  she  went  on,  as  she  sat  up  in  bed,  "we  ought  certainly 
to  thank  God  to-night  that  you  can  walk  now,  and  that  He  has 
made  us  so  happy." 

"Yes,  Heidi,  I  am  sure  you  are  right,  and  I  am  glad  you 
reminded  me;  I  almost  forgot  my  prayers  for  very  joy." 

Both  children  said  their  prayers,  and  each  thanked  God  in 
her  own  way  for  the  blessing  He  had  bestowed  on  Clara,  who 
had  for  so  long  lain  weak  and  ill. 

The  ndxt  morning  the  grandfather  suggested  that  they 
should  now  write  to  the  grandmamma  and  ask  her  if  she  would 
not  come  and  pay  them  a  visit,  as  they  had  something  new  to 
show  her.  But  the  children  had  another  plan  in  their  heads,  for 
they  wanted  to  prepare  a  great  surprise  for  grandmamma. 
Clara  was  first  to  have  more  practice  in  walking  so  that  she 
might  be  able  to  go  a  little  way  by  herself;  above  all  things 
grandmamma  was  not  to  have  a  hint  of  it.  They  asked  the 
grandfather  how  long  he  thought  this  would  take,  and  when  he 
told  them  about  a  week  or  less,  they  immediately  sat  down  and 
wrote  a  pressing  invitation  to  grandmamma,  asking  her  to 
come  soon,  but  no  word  was  said  about  there  being  anything 
new  to  see. 

The  following  days  were  some  of  the  most  joyous  that  Clara 

[351] 


HEIDI 

had  spent  on  the  mountain.  She  awoke  each  morning  with  a 
happy  voice  within  her  crying,  "I  am  well  now!  I  am  well 
now!  I  shan't  have  to  go  about  in  a  chair,  I  can  walk  by  myself 
like  other  people." 

Then  came  the  walking,  and  every  day  she  found  it  easier 
and  was  able  to  go  a  longer  distance.  The  movement  gave  her 
such  an  appetite  that  the  grandfather  cut  his  bread  and  butter 
a  little  thicker  each  day,  and  was  well  pleased  to  see  it  disap- 
pear. He  now  brought  out  with  it  a  large  jugful  of  the  foaming 
milk  and  filled  her  little  bowl  over  and  over  again.  And  so 
another  week  went  by  and  the  day  came  which  was  to  bring 
grandmamma  up  the  mountain  for  her  second  visit. 


[352] 


CHAPTER  XXIII 
"GOOD-BYE  TILL  WE  MEET  AGAIN" 

GRANDMAMMA  wrote  the  day  before  her  arrival  to 
let  the  children  know  that  they  might  expect  her  with- 
out fail.  Peter  brought  up  the  letter  early  the  follow- 
ing morning.  Grandfather  and  the  children  were  already  out- 
side and  the  goats  were  awaiting  him,  shaking  their  heads 
frolicsomely  in  the  fresh  morning  air,  while  the  children 
stroked  them  and  wished  them  a  pleasant  journey  up  the 
mountain.  Uncle  stood  near,  looking  now  at  the  fresh  faces  of 
the  children,  now  at  his  well-kept  goats,  with  a  smile  on  his 
face,  evidentlywell  pleased  with  the  sight  of  both. 

As  Peter  neared  the  group  his  steps  slackened,  and  the 
instant  he  had  handed  the  letter  to  Uncle  he  turned  quickly 
away  as  if  frightened,  and  as  he  went  he  gave  a  hasty  glance 
behind  him,  as  if  the  thing  he  feared  was  pursuing  him,  and 
then  he  gave  a  leap  and  ran  off  up  the  mountain. 

"Grandfather,"  said  Heidi,  who  had  been  watching  him 
with  astonished  eyes,  "why  does  Peter  always  behave  now  like 
the  Great  Turk  when  he  thinks  somebody  is  after  him  with  a 
stick;  he  turns  and  shakes  his  head  and  goes  off  with  a  bound 
just  like  that?" 

"Perhaps  Peter  fancies  he  sees  the  stick  which  he  so  well 
deserves  coming  after  him,"  answered  grandfather. 

Peter  ran  up  the  first  slope  without  a  pause;  when  he  was 
well  out  of  sight,  however,  he  stood  still  and  looked  suspici- 
ously about  him.  Suddenly  he  gave  a  jump  and  looked  behind 

[  355  ] 


HEIDI 

him  with  a  terrified  expression,  as  if  some  one  had  caught  hold 
of  him  by  the  nape  of  the  neck;  for  Peter  expected  every  minute 
that  the  police-constable  from  Frankfurt  would  leap  out  upon 
him  from  behind  some  bush  or  hedge.  The  longer  his  suspense 
lasted,  the  more  frightened  and  miserable  he  became;  he  did 
not  know  a  moment's  peace. 

Heidi  now  set  about  tidying  the  hut,  as  grandmamma  must 
find  everything  clean  and  in  good  order  when  she  arrived. 

Clara  looked  on  amused  and  interested  to  watch  the  busy 
Heidi  at  her  work. 

So  the  morning  soon  went  by,  and  grandmamma  might  now 
be  expected  at  any  minute.  The  children  dressed  themselves  and 
went  and  sat  together  outside  on  the  seat  ready  to  receive  her. 

Grandfather  joined  them,  that  they  might  see  the  splendid 
bunch  of  blue  gentians  which  he  had  been  up  the  mountain  to 
gather,  and  the  children  exclaimed  with  delight  at  the  beauty 
of  the  flowers  as  they  shone  in  the  morning  sun.  The  grand- 
father then  carried  them  indoors.  Heidi  jumped  up  from  time 
to  time  to  see  if  there  was  any  sign  of  grandmamma's  approach. 

At  last  she  saw  the  procession  winding  up  the  mountain  just 
in  the  order  she  had  expected.  First,  there  was  the  guide,  then 
the  white  horse  with  grandmamma  mounted  upon  it,  and  last 
of  all  the  porter  with  a  heavy  bundle  on  his  back,  for  grand- 
mamma would  not  think  of  going  up  the  mountain  without  a 
full  supply  of  wraps  and  rugs. 

Nearer  and  nearer  wound  the  procession;  at  last  it  reached 
the  top  and  grandmamma  was  there  looking  down  on  the 
children  from  her  horse.  She  no  sooner  saw  them,  however, 
sitting  side  by  side,   than   she  began   quickly  dismounting, 

[  356  ] 


"GOOD-BYE  TILL  WE  MEET  AGAIN" 

as  she  cried  out  in  a  shocked  tone  of  voice,  "Why  is  this? 
why  are  you  not  lying  in  your  chair,  Clara?  What  are  you 
all  thinking  about?"  But  even  before  she  had  got  close  to 
them  she  threw  up  her  hands  in  astonishment,  exclaiming 
further,  "Is  it  really  you,  dear  child?  Why,  your  cheeks 
have  grown  quite  round  and  rosy!  I  should  hardly  have 
known  you  again!"  And  she  was  hastening  forward  to  em- 
brace her,  when  Heidi  slipped  down  from  the  seat,  and  Clara, 
leaning  on  her  shoulder,  the  two  children  began  walking  along 
quite  coolly  and  naturally.  Then  indeed  grandmamma  was 
surprised,  or  rather  alarmed,  for  she  thought  at  first  that  it 
must  be  some  unheard-of  proceeding  of  Heidi's  devising. 

But  no — Clara  was  actually  walking  steadily  and  uprightly 
beside  Heidi — and  now  the  two  children  turned  and  came 
towards  her  with  beaming  faces  and  rosy  cheeks.  Laughing 
and  crying  she  ran  to  them  and  embraced  first  Clara  and  then 
Heidi,  and  then  Clara  again,  unable  to  speak  for  joy.  All  at 
once  she  caught  sight  of  Uncle  standing  by  the  seat  and  looking 
on  smiling  at  the  meeting.  She  took  Clara's  arm  in  hers,  and 
with  continual  expressions  of  delight  at  the  fact  that  the  child 
could  now  really  walk  about  with  her,  she  went  up  to  the  old 
man,  and  then  letting  go  Clara's  arm  she  seized  his  hands. 

"  My  dear  Uncle !  my  dear  Uncle !  how  much  we  have  to  thank 
you  for!    It  is  all  your  doing!  it  is  your  caring  and  nursing " 

"And  God's  good  sun  and  mountain  air,"  he  interrupted  her, 
smiling. 

"Yes,  and  don't  forget  the  beautiful  milk  I  have,"  put  in 
Clara.  "  Grandmamma,  you  can't  think  what  a  quantity  of 
goat's  milk  I  drink,  and  how  nice  it  is ! " 

[357] 


HEIDI 

"I  can  see  that  by  your  cheeks,  child,"  answered  grand- 
mamma. "I  really  should  not  have  known  you;  you  have 
grown  quite  strong  and  plump,  and  taller  too;  I  never  hoped  or 
expected  to  see  you  look  like  that.  I  cannot  take  my  eyes  off 
you,  for  I  can  hardly  yet  believe  it.  But  now  I  must  telegraph 
without  delay  to  my  son  in  Paris,  and  tell  him  he  must  come 
here  at  once.  I  shall  not  say  why;  it  will  be  the  greatest  happi- 
ness he  has  ever  known.  My  dear  Uncle,  how  can  I  send  a 
telegram;  have  you  dismissed  the  men  yet?" 

"They  have  gone,"  he  answered,  "but  if  you  are  in  a  hurry 
I  will  fetch  Peter,  and  he  can  take  it  for  you." 

Grandmamma  thanked  him,  for  she  was  anxious  that  the 
good  news  should  not  be  kept  from  her  son  a  day  longer  than 
was  possible. 

So  Uncle  went  aside  a  little  way  and  blew  such  a  resounding 
whistle  through  his  fingers  that  he  awoke  a  responsive  echo 
among  the  rocks  far  overhead.  He  had  not  to  wait  many 
minutes  before  Peter  came  running  down  in  answer,  for  he 
knew  the  sound  of  Uncle's  whistle.  Peter  arrived,  looking  as 
white  as  a  ghost,  for  he  quite  thought  Uncle  was  sending  for 
him  to  give  him  up.  But  as  it  was  he  only  had  a  written  paper 
given  him  with  instructions  to  take  it  down  at  once  to  the  post- 
office  at  Dbrfli;  Uncle  would  settle  for  the  payment  later,  as 
it  was  not  safe  to  give  Peter  too  much  to  look  after. 

Peter  went  off  with  the  paper  in  his  hand,  feeling  some  relief 
of  mind  for  the  present,  for  as  Uncle  had  not  whistled  for  him 
in  order  to  give  him  up  it  was  evident  that  no  policeman  had 
yet  arrived. 

So  now  they  could  all  sit  down  in  peace  to  their  dinner  round 

[358] 


7/) 


"GOOD-BYE  TILL  WE  MEET  AGAIN" 

the  table  in  front  of  the  hut,  and  grandmamma  was  given  a  de- 
tailed account  of  all  that  had  taken  place.  How  grandfather 
had  made  Clara  try  first  to  stand  and  then  to  move  her  feet  a 
little  every  day,  and  how  they  had  settled  for  the  day's  excur- 
sion up  the  mountain  and  the  chair  had  been  blown  away. 
How  Clara's  desire  to  see  the  flowers  had  induced  her  to  take 
the  first  walk,  and  so  by  degrees  one  thing  had  led  to  another. 
The  recital  took  some  time,  for  grandmamma  continually  in- 
terrupted it  with  fresh  exclamations  of  surprise  and  thankful- 
ness: "It  hardly  seems  possible!  I  can  scarcely  believe  it  is 
not  all  a  dream !  Are  we  really  awake,  and  are  all  sitting  here 
by  the  mountain  hut,  and  is  that  round-faced,  healthy -looking 
child  my  poor  little,  white,  sickly  Clara?" 

And  Clara  and  Heidi  could  not  get  over  their  delight  at  the 
success  of  the  surprise  they  had  so  carefully  arranged  for  grand- 
mamma and  at  the  latter's  continued  astonishment. 

Meanwhile  Herr  Sesemann,  who  had  finished  his  business  in 
Paris,  had  also  been  preparing  a  surprise.  Without  saying  a 
word  to  his  mother  he  got  into  the  train  one  sunny  morning 
and  traveled  that  day  to  Basle;  the  next  morning  he  continued 
his  journey,  for  a  great  longing  had  seized  him  to  see  his  little 
daughter  from  whom  he  had  been  separated  the  whole  summer. 
He  arrived  at  Ragatz  a  few  hours  after  his  mother  had  left. 
When  he  heard  that  she  had  that  very  day  started  for  the 
mountain,  he  immediately  hired  a  carriage  and  drove  off  to 
Mayenfeld;  here  he  found  that  he  could  if  he  liked  drive  on  as 
far  as  Dorfli,  which  he  did,  as  he  thought  the  walk  up  from  that 
place  would  be  as  long  as  he  cared  for. 

Herr  Sesemann  found  he  was  right,  for  the  climb  up  the 

[359] 


HEIDI 

mountain,  as  it  was,  proved  long  and  fatiguing  to  him.  He 
went  on  and  on,  but  still  no  hut  came  in  sight,  and  yet  he  knew 
there  was  one  where  Peter  lived  half  way  up,  for  the  path  had 
been  described  to  him  over  and  over  again. 

There  were  traces  of  climbers  to  be  seen  on  all  sides;  the 
narrow  footpaths  seemed  to  run  in  every  direction,  and  Herr 
Sesemann  began  to  wonder  if  he  was  on  the  right  one,  and 
whether  the  hut  lay  perhaps  on  the  other  side  of  the  mountain. 
He  looked  round  to  see  if  any  one  was  in  sight  of  whom  he 
could  ask  the  way;  but  far  and  wide  there  was  not  a  soul  to  be 
seen  or  a  sound  to  be  heard.  Only  at  moments  the  mountain 
wind  whistled  through  the  air,  and  the  insects  hummed  in  the 
sunshine  or  a  happy  bird  sang  out  from  the  branches  of  a 
solitary  larch  tree.  Herr  Sesemann  stood  still  for  a  while  to  let 
the  cool  Alpine  wind  blow  on  his  hot  face.  But  now  some  one 
came  running  down  the  mountainside — it  was  Peter  with  the 
telegram  in  his  hand.  He  ran  straight  down  the  steep  slope,  not 
following  the  path  on  which  Herr  Sesemann  was  standing.  As 
soon  as  the  latter  caught  sight  of  him  he  beckoned  to  him  to 
come.  Peter  advanced  towards  him  slowly  and  timidly,  with  a 
sort  of  sidelong  movement,  as  if  he  could  only  move  one  leg 
properly  and  had  to  drag  the  other  after  him. 

"Hurry  up,  lad,"  called  Herr  Sesemann,  and  when  Peter  was 
near  enough,  "Tell  me,"  he  said,  "is  this  the  way  to  the  hut 
where  the  old  man  and  the  child  Heidi  live,  and  where  the 
visitors  from  Frankfurt  are  staying?" 

A  low  sound  of  fear  was  the  only  answer  he  received,  as  Peter 
turned  to  run  away  in  such  precipitous  haste  that  he  fell  head 
over  heels  several  times,  and  went  rolling  and  bumping  down 

[360  ] 


"GOOD-BYE  TILL  WE  MEET  AGAIN" 

the  slope  in  involuntary  bounds,  just  in  the  same  way  as  the 
chair,  only  that  Peter  fortunately  did  not  fall  to  pieces  as  that 
had  done.  Only  i he  telegram  came  to  grief,  and  that  was  torn 
into  fragments  and  flew  away. 

"How  extraordinarily  timid  these  mountain  dwellers  are!" 
thought  Herr  Sesemann  to  himself,  for  he  quite  believed  that 
it  was  the  sight  of  a  stranger  that  had  made  such  an  impression 
on  this  unsophisticated  child  of  the  mountains. 

After  watching  Peter's  violent  descent  towards  the  valley  for 
a  few  minutes  he  continued  his  journey. 

Peter,  meanwhile,  with  all  his  efforts,  could  not  stop  himself, 
but  went  rolling  on,  and  still  tumbling  head  over  heels  at  inter- 
vals in  a  most  remarkable  manner. 

But  this  was  not  the  most  terrible  part  of  his  sufferings  at 
the  moment,  for  far  worse  was  the  fear  and  horror  that  pos- 
sessed him,  feeling  sure,  as  he  did  now,  that  the  policeman  had 
really  come  over  for  him  from  Frankfurt.  He  had  no  doubt  at 
all  that  the  stranger  who  had  asked  him  the  way  was  the  very 
man  himself.  Just  as  he  had  rolled  to  the  edge  of  that  last  high 
slope  above  Dorfli  he  was  caught  in  a  bush,  and  at  last  able  to 
keep  himself  from  falling  any  farther.  He  lay  still  for  a  second 
or  two  to  recover  himself,  and  to  think  over  matters. 

"Well  done!  another  of  you  come  bumping  along  like  this!" 
said  a  voice  close  to  Peter,  "and  which  of  you  to-morrow  is  the 
wind  going  to  send  rolling  down  like  a  badly  sewn  sack  of 
potatoes?"  It  was  the  baker,  who  stood  there  laughing.  He 
had  been  strolling  out  to  refresh  himself  after  his  hot  day's 
work,  and  had  watched  with  amusement  as  he  saw  Peter  come 
rolling  over  and  over  in  much  the  same  way  as  the  chair. 

[361] 


HEIDI 

Peter  was  on  his  feet  in  a  moment.  He  had  received  a  fresh 
shock.  Without  once  looking  behind  him  he  began  hurrying  up 
the  slope  again.  He  would  have  liked  best  to  go  home  and  creep 
into  bed,  so  as  to  hide  himself,  for  he  felt  safest  when  there. 
But  he  had  left  the  goats  up  above,  and  Uncle  had  given  him 
strict  injunctions  to  make  haste  back  so  that  they  might  not  be 
left  too  long  alone.  And  he  stood  more  in  awe  of  Uncle  than  any 
one,  and  would  not  have  dared  to  disobey  him  on  any  account. 
There  was  no  help  for  it,  he  had  to  go  back,  and  Peter  went  on 
groaning  and  limping.  He  could  run  no  more,  for  the  anguish  of 
mind  he  had  been  through,  and  the  bumping  and  shaking  he 
had  received,  were  beginning  to  tell  upon  him.  And  so  with  lag- 
ging steps  and  groans  he  slowly  made  his  way  up  the  mountain. 

Shortly  after  meeting  Peter,  Herr  Sesemann  passed  the  first 
hut,  and  so  was  satisfied  that  he  was  on  the  right  path.  He 
continued  his  climb  with  renewed  courage,  and  at  last,  after  a 
long  and  exhausting  walk,  he  came  in  sight  of  his  goal.  There, 
only  a  little  distance  farther  up,  stood  the  grandfather's  home, 
with  the  dark  tops  of  the  fir  trees  waving  above  its  roof. 

Herr  Sesemann  was  delighted  to  have  come  to  the  last  steep 
bit  of  his  journey;  in  another  minute  or  two  he  would  be  with 
his  little  daughter,  and  he  pleased  himself  with  the  thought  of 
her  surprise.  But  the  company  above  had  seen  his  approaching 
figure  and  recognized  who  it  was,  and  they  were  preparing 
something  he  little  expected  as  a  surprise  on  their  part. 

As  he  stepped  on  to  the  space  in  front  of  the  hut  two  figures 
came  towards  him.  One  a  tall  girl  with  fair  hair  and  pink 
cheeks,  leaning  on  Heidi,  whose  dark  eyes  were  dancing  with 
joy.  Herr  Sesemann  suddenly  stopped,  staring  at  the  two  chil- 

[362] 


"GOOD-BYE  TILL  WE  MEET  AGAIN" 

dren,  and  all  at  once  the  tears  started  to  his  eyes.  What  mem- 
ories arose  in  his  heart!  Just  so  had  Clara's  mother  looked,  the 
fair-haired  girl  with  the  delicate  pink-and-white  complexion. 
Herr  Sesemann  did  not  know  if  he  was  awake  or  dreaming. 

"Don't  you  know  me,  papa?"  called  Clara  to  him,  her  face 
beaming  with  happiness.    "Am  I  so  altered  since  you  saw  me?  " 

Then  Herr  Sesemann  ran  to  his  child  and  clasped  her  in  his 
arms. 

"  Yes,  you  are  indeed  altered !  How  is  it  possible?  Is  it  true 
what  I  see?"  And  the  delighted  father  stepped  back  to  look 
full  at  her  again,  and  to  make  sure  that  the  picture  would  not 
vanish  before  his  eyes. 

"Are  you  my  little  Clara,  really  my  little  Clara?"  he  kept 
on  saying,  then  he  clasped  her  in  his  arms  again,  and  again  put 
her  away  from  him  that  he  might  look  and  make  sure  it  was  she 
who  stood  before  him. 

And  now  grandmamma  came  up,  anxious  for  a  sight  of  her 
son's  happy  face. 

"Well,  what  do  you  say  now,  dear  son?"  she  exclaimed. 
"You  have  given  us  a  pleasant  surprise,  but  it  is  nothing  in 
comparison  to  what  we  have  prepared  for  you,  you  must  con- 
fess," and  she  gave  her  son  an  affectionate  kiss  as  she  spoke. 
"But  now,"  she  went  on,  "you  must  come  and  pay  your  re- 
spects to  Uncle,  who  is  our  chief  benefactor." 

"Yes,  indeed,  and  with  the  little  inmate  of  our  own  house, 
our  little  Heidi,  too,"  said  Herr  Sesemann,  shaking  Heidi  by 
the  hand.  "Well?  are  you  still  well  and  happy  in  your  moun- 
tain home?  but  I  need  not  ask,  no  Alpine  rose  could  look  more 
blooming.  I  am  glad,  child,  it  is  a  pleasure  to  me  to  see  you  so." 

[363  ] 


HEIDI 

And  Heidi  looked  up  with  equal  pleasure  into  Herr  Sese- 
mann's  kind  face.  How  good  he  had  always  been  to  her !  And 
that  he  should  find  such  happiness  awaiting  him  up  here  on  the 
mountain  made  her  heart  beat  with  gladness. 

Grandmamma  now  led  her  son  to  introduce  him  to  Uncle, 
and  while  the  two  men  were  shaking  hands  and  Herr  Sesemann 
was  expressing  his  heartfelt  thanks  and  boundless  astonish- 
ment to  the  old  man,  grandmamma  wandered  round  to  the 
back  to  see  the  old  fir  trees  again. 

Here  another  unexpected  sight  met  her  gaze,  for  there,  under 
the  trees  where  the  long  branches  had  left  a  clear  space  on  the 
ground,  stood  a  great  bush  of  the  most  wonderful  dark  blue 
gentians,  as  fresh  and  shining  as  if  they  were  growing  on  the 
spot.   She  clasped  her  hands,  enraptured  with  their  beauty. 

"How  exquisite!  what  a  lovely  sight!"  she  exclaimed. 
"Heidi,  dearest  child,  come  here!  Is  it  you  who  have  prepared 
this  pleasure  for  me?   It  is  perfectly  wonderful!" 

The  children  ran  up. 

"No,  no,  I  did  not  put  them  there,"  said  Heidi,  "but  I  know 
who  did." 

"They  grow  just  like  that  on  the  mountain,  grandmamma, 
only  if  anything  they  look  more  beautiful  still,"  Clara  put  in; 
"but  guess  who  brought  those  down  to-day,"  and  as  she  spoke 
she  gave  such  a  pleased  smile  that  the  grandmother  thought  for 
a  moment  the  child  herself  must  have  gathered  them.  But  that 
was  hardly  possible. 

At  this  moment  a  slight  rustling  was  heard  behind  the  fir 
trees.  It  was  Peter,  who  had  just  arrived.  He  had  made  a  long 
round,  having  seen  from  the  distance  who  it  was  standing  be- 

[364  ] 


"GOOD-BYE  TILL  WE  MEET  AGAIN" 

side  Uncle  in  front  of  the  hut,  and  he  was  trying  to  slip  by  un- 
observed. But  grandmamma  had  seen  and  recognized  him,  and 
suddenly  the  thought  struck  her  that  it  might  be  Peter  who  had 
brought  the  flowers  and  that  he  was  now  trying  to  get  away 
unseen,  feeling  shy  about  it;  but  she  could  not  let  him  go  off 
like  that,  he  must  have  some  little  reward. 

"Come  along,  boy;  come  here,  do  not  be  afraid,"  she  called 
to  him. 

Peter  stood  still,  petrified  with  fear.  After  all  he  had  gone 
through  that  day  he  felt  he  had  no  longer  any  power  of  resis- 
tance left.  All  he  could  think  was,  "It's  all  up  with  me  now." 
Every  hair  of  his  head  stood  on  end,  and  he  stepped  forth 
from  behind  the  fir  trees,  his  face  pale  and  distorted  with 
terror. 

"Courage,  boy,"  said  grandmamma  in  her  effort  to  dispel 
his  shyness,  "tell  me  now  straight  out  without  hesitation,  was 
it  you  who  did  it?" 

Peter  did  not  lift  his  eyes  and  therefore  did  not  see  at  what 
grandmamma  was  pointing.  But  he  knew  that  Uncle  was 
standing  at  the  corner  of  the  hut,  fixing  him  with  his  gray  eyes, 
while  beside  him  stood  the  most  terrible  person  that  Peter 
could  conceive — the  police-constable  from  Frankfurt.  Quaking 
inevery  limb,  and  with  trembling  lips  he  muttered  a  low,  "Yes." 

"Well,  and  what  is  there  dreadful  about  that?"  said  grand- 
mamma. 

"  Because — because — it  is  all  broken  to  pieces  and  no  one  can 
put  it  together  again."  Peter  brought  out  his  words  with  diffi- 
culty, and  his  knees  knocked  together  so  that  he  could  hardly 
stand. 

[365  ] 


HEIDI 

Grandmamma  went  up  to  Uncle.  "Is  that  poor  boy  a  little 
out  of  his  mind?"  she  asked  sympathizingly. 

"Not  in  the  least,"  Uncle  assured  her,  "it  is  only  that  he  was 
the  wind  that  sent  the  chair  rolling  down  the  slope,  and  he  is 
expecting  his  well-deserved  punishment." 

Grandmamma  found  this  hard  to  believe,  for  in  her  opinion 
Peter  did  not  look  an  entirely  bad  boy,  nor  could  he  have  any 
reason  for  destroying  such  a  necessary  thing  as  the  chair.  But 
Uncle  had  only  given  expression  to  the  suspicion  that  he  had 
from  the  moment  the  accident  happened.  The  angry  looks 
which  Peter  had  from  the  beginning  cast  at  Clara,  and  the 
other  signs  of  his  dislike  to  what  had  been  taking  place  on  the 
mountain,  had  not  escaped  Uncle's  eye.  Putting  two  and  two 
together  he  had  come  to  the  right  conclusion  as  to  the  cause  of 
the  disaster,  and  he  therefore  spoke  without  hesitation  when  he 
accused  Peter.  The  lady  broke  into  lively  expostulations  on 
hearing  this. 

"No,  no,  dear  Uncle,  we  will  not  punish  the  poor  boy  any 
further.  One  must  be  fair  to  him.  Here  are  all  these  strangers 
from  Frankfurt  who  come  and  carry  away  Heidi,  his  one  sole 
possession,  and  a  possession  well  worth  having  too,  and  he  is 
left  to  sit  alone  day  after  day  for  weeks,  with  nothing  to  do  but 
brood  over  his  wrongs.  No,  no,  let  us  be  fair  to  him;  his  anger 
got  the  upper  hand  and  drove  him  to  an  act  of  revenge — a  fool- 
ish one,  I  own,  but  then  we  all  behave  foolishly  when  we  are 
angry."  And  saying  this  she  went  back  to  Peter,  who  still  stood 
frightened  and  trembling.  She  sat  down  on  the  seat  under  the 
fir  trees  and  called  him  to  her  kindly, — 

"  Come  here,  boy,  and  stand  in  front  of  me,  for  I  have  some- 

[  366  ] 


"GOOD-BYE  TILL  WE  MEET  AGAIN" 

thing  to  say  to  you.  Leave  off  shaking  and  trembling,  for  I 
want  you  to  listen  to  me.  You  sent  the  chair  rolling  down  the 
mountain  so  that  it  was  broken  to  pieces.  That  was  a  very 
wrong  thing  to  do,  as  you  yourself  knew  very  well  at  the  time, 
and  you  also  knew  that  you  deserved  to  be  punished  for  it,  and 
in  order  to  escape  this  you  have  been  doing  all  you  can  to  hide 
the  truth  from  everybody.  But  be  sure  of  this,  Peter:  that 
those  who  do  wrong  make  a  mistake  when  they  think  no  one 
knows  anything  about  it.  For  God  sees  and  hears  everything, 
and  when  the  wicked  doer  tries  to  hide  what  he  has  done,  then 
God  wakes  up  a  little  watchman  that  He  places  inside  us  all 
when  we  are  born  and  who  sleeps  on  quietly  till  we  do  some- 
thing wrong.  And  the  little  watchman  has  a  small  goad  in  his 
hand,  and  when  he  wakes  up  he  keeps  on  pricking  us  with  it, 
so  that  we  have  not  a  moment's  peace.  And  the  watchman 
torments  us  still  further,  for  he  keeps  on  calling  out, '  Now  you 
will  be  found  out !  Now  they  will  drag  you  off  to  punishment ! ' 
And  so  we  pass  our  life  in  fear  and  trouble,  and  never  know  a 
moment's  happiness  or  peace.  Have  you  not  felt  something 
like  that  lately,  Peter?" 

Peter  gave  a  contrite  nod  of  the  head,  as  one  who  knew  all 
about  it,  for  grandmamma  had  described  his  own  feelings 
exactly. 

"And  you  calculated  wrongly  also  in  another  way,"  con- 
tinued grandmamma,  "for  you  see  the  harm  you  intended  has 
turned  out  for  the  best  for  those  you  wished  to  hurt.  As  Clara 
had  no  chair  to  go  in  and  yet  wanted  so  much  to  see  the  flow- 
ers, she  made  the  effort  to  walk,  and  every  day  since  she  has 
been  walking  better  and  better,  and  if  she  remains  up  here  she 

[367] 


HEIDI 

will  in  time  be  able  to  go  up  the  mountain  every  day,  much 
oftener  than  she  would  have  done  in  her  chair.  So  you  see, 
Peter,  God  is  able  to  bring  good  out  of  evil  for  those  whom  you 
meant  to  injure,  and  you  who  did  the  evil  were  left  to  suffer 
the  unhappy  consequences  of  it.  Do  you  thoroughly  under- 
stand all  I  have  said  to  you,  Peter?  If  so,  do  not  forget  my 
words,  and  whenever  you  feel  inclined  to  do  anything  wrong, 
think  of  the  little  watchman  inside  you  with  his  goad  and  his 
disagreeable  voice.   Will  you  remember  all  this?" 

"Yes,  I  will,"  answered  Peter,  still  very  subdued,  for  he  did 
not  yet  know  how  the  matter  was  going  to  end,  as  the  police 
constable  was  still  standing  with  the  Uncle. 

"That's  right,  and  now  the  thing  is  over  and  done  for,"  said 
grandmamma.  "But  I  should  like  you  to  have  something  for  a 
pleasant  reminder  of  the  visitors  from  Frankfurt.  Can  you  tell 
me  anything  that  you  have  wished  very  much  to  have?  What 
would  you  like  best  as  a  present?" 

Peter  lifted  his  head  at  this,  and  stared  open-eyed  at  grand- 
mamma. Up  to  the  last  minute  he  had  been  expecting  some- 
thing dreadful  to  happen,  and  now  he  might  have  anything 
that  he  wanted.  His  mind  seemed  all  of  a  whirl. 

"I  mean  what  I  say,"  went,  on  grandmamma.  "You  shall 
choose  what  you  would  like  to  have  as  a  remembrance  from  the 
Frankfurt  visitors,  and  as  a  token  that  they  will  not  think  any 
more  of  the  wrong  thing  you  did.  Now  do  you  understand  me, 
boy?" 

The  fact  began  at  last  to  dawn  upon  Peter's  mind  that  he 
had  no  further  punishment  to  fear,  and  that  the  kind  lady 
sitting  in  front  of  him  had  delivered  him  from  the  police  con- 

[  368  ] 


"GOOD-BYE  TILL  WE  MEET  AGAIN" 

stable.  He  suddenly  felt  as  if  the  weight  of  a  mountain  had 
fallen  off  him.  He  had  also  by  this  time  awakened  to  the 
further  conviction  that  it  was  better  to  make  a  full  confession 
at  once  of  anything  he  had  done  wrong  or  had  left  undone,  and 
so  he  said,  "And  I  lost  the  paper,  too." 

Grandmamma  had  to  consider  a  moment  what  he  meant, 
but  soon  recalled  his  connection  with  her  telegram,  and  an- 
swered kindly, 

"You  are  a  good  boy  to  tell  me!  Never  conceal  anything 
you  have  done  wrong,  and  then  all  will  come  right  again.  And 
now  what  would  you  like  me  to  give  you?" 

Peter  grew  almost  giddy  with  the  thought  that  he  could  have 
anything  in  the  world  that  he  wished  for.  He  had  a  vision  of 
the  yearly  fair  at  Mayenfeld  with  the  glittering  stalls  and  all 
the  lovely  things  that  he  had  stood  gazing  at  for  hours,  without 
a  hope  of  ever  possessing  one  of  them,  for  Peter's  purse  never 
held  more  than  a  halfpenny,  and  all  these  fascinating  objects 
cost  double  that  amount.  There  were  the  pretty  little  red 
whistles  that  he  could  use  to  call  his  goats,  and  the  splendid 
knives  with  rounded  handles,  known  as  toad-strikers,  with 
which  one  could  do  such  famous  work  among  the  hazel  bushes. 

Peter  remained  pondering;  he  was  trying  to  think  which  of 
these  two  desirable  objects  he  should  best  like  to  have,  and  he 
found  it  difficult  to  decide.  Then  a  bright  thought  occurred  to 
him;  he  would  then  be  able  to  think  over  the  matter  between 
now  and  next  year's  fair. 

"A  penny,"  answered  Peter,  who  was  no  longer  in  doubt. 

Grandmamma  could  not  help  laughing.  "That  is  not  an  ex- 
travagant request.   Come  here  then!"  and  she  pulled  out  her 

[  369  ] 


HEIDI 

purse  and  put  four  bright  round  shillings  in  his  hand  and  then 
laid  some  pennies  on  top  of  it.  "We  will  settle  our  accounts  at 
once,"  she  continued,  "and  I  will  explain  them  to  you.  I  have 
given  you  as  many  pennies  as  there  are  weeks  in  the  year,  and 
so  every  Sunday  throughout  the  year  you  can  take  out  a  penny 
to  spend." 

"As  long  as  I  live?"  said  Peter  quite  innocently. 

Grandmamma  laughed  more  still  at  this,  and  the  men  hear- 
ing her,  paused  in  their  talk  to  listen  to  what  was  going  on. 

"Yes,  boy,  you  shall  have  it  all  your  life — I  will  put  it  down 
in  my  will.  Do  you  hear,  my  son?  and  you  are  to  put  it  down 
in  yours  as  well:  a  penny  a  week  to  Peter  as  long  as  he  lives." 

Herr  Sesemann  nodded  his  assent  and  joined  in  the  laughter. 

Peter  looked  again  at  the  present  in  his  hand  to  make  sure 
he  was  not  dreaming,  and  then  said,  "Thank  God!" 

And  he  went  off  running  and  leaping  with  more  even  than 
his  usual  agility,  and  this  time  managed  to  keep  his  feet,  for  it 
was  not  fear,  but  joy  such  as  he  had  never  known  before  in  his 
life,  that  now  sent  him  flying  up  the  mountain.  All  trouble  and 
trembling  had  disappeared,  and  he  was  to  have  a  penny  every 
week  for  life. 

As  later,  after  dinner,  the  party  were  sitting  together  chat- 
ting, Clara  drew  her  father  a  little  aside,  and  said  with  an 
eagerness  that  had  been  unknown  to  the  little  tired  invalid, 

"  Oh,  papa,  if  you  only  knew  all  that  grandfather  has  done  for 
me  from  day  to  day !  I  cannot  reckon  his  kindnesses,  but  I  shall 
never  forget  them  as  long  as  I  live!  And  I  keep  on  thinking 
what  I  could  do  for  him,  or  what  present  I  could  make  him  that 
would  give  him  half  as  much  pleasure  as  he  has  given  me." 

[370  ] 


"GOOD-BYE  TILL  WE  MEET  AGAIN" 

"That  is  just  what  I  wish  most  myself,  Clara,"  replied  her 
father,  whose  face  grew  happier  each  time  he  looked  at  his 
little  daughter.  "I  have  been  also  thinking  how  we  can  best 
show  our  gratitude  to  our  good  benefactor." 

Herr  Sesemann  now  went  over  to  where  Uncle  and  grand- 
mamma were  engaged  in  lively  conversation.  Uncle  stood  up 
as  he  approached,  and  Herr  Sesemann,  taking  him  by  the  hand 
said, 

"  Dear  friend,  let  us  exchange  a  few  words  with  one  another. 
You  will  believe  me  when  I  tell  you  that  I  have  known  no  real 
happiness  for  years  past.  What  worth  to  me  were  money  and 
property  when  they  were  unable  to  make  my  poor  child  well 
and  happy?  With  the  help  of  God  you  have  made  her  whole 
and  strong,  and  you  have  given  new  life  not  only  to  her  but  to 
me.  Tell  me  now,  in  what  way  can  I  show  my  gratitude  to  you? 
I  can  never  repay  all  you  have  done,  but  whatever  is  in  my 
power  to  do  is  at  your  service.  Speak,  friend,  and  tell  me  what 
I  can  do?" 

Uncle  had  listened  to  him  quietly,  with  a  smile  of  pleasure  on 
his  face  as  he  looked  at  the  happy  father. 

"Herr  Sesemann,"  he  replied  in  his  dignified  way,  "believe 
me  that  I  too  have  my  share  in  the  joy  of  your  daughter's 
recovery,  and  my  trouble  is  well  repaid  by  it.  I  thank  you 
heartily  for  all  you  have  said,  but  I  have  need  of  nothing;  I 
have  enough  for  myself  and  the  child  as  long  as  I  live.  One 
wish  alone  I  have,  and  if  that  could  be  satisfied  I  should  have 
no  further  care  in  life." 

"Speak,  dear  friend,  and  tell  me  what  it  is,"  said  Herr  Sese- 
mann entreatingly. 

[  371  ] 


HEIDI 

"I  am  growing  old,"  Uncle  went  on,  "and  shall  not  be  here 
much  longer.  I  have  nothing  to  leave  the  child  when  I  die,  and 
she  has  no  relations,  except  one  person  who  will  always  like  to 
make  what  profit  out  of  her  she  can.  If  you  could  promise  me 
that  Heidi  shall  never  have  to  go  and  earn  her  living  among 
strangers,  then  you  would  richly  reward  me  for  all  I  have  done 
for  your  child." 

"There  could  never  be  any  question  of  such  a  thing  as  that, 
my  dear  friend,"  said  Herr  Sesemann  quickly.  "I  look  upon 
the  child  as  our  own.  Ask  my  mother,  my  daughter;  you  may 
be  sure  that  they  will  never  allow  the  child  to  be  left  in  any  one 
else's  care!  But  if  it  will  make  you  happier  I  give  you  here  my 
hand  upon  it.  I  promise  you :  Heidi  shall  never  have  to  go  and 
earn  her  living  among  strangers ;  I  will  make  provision  against 
this  both  during  my  life  and  after.  But  now  I  have  something 
else  to  say.  Independent  of  her  circumstances,  the  child  is 
totally  unfitted  to  live  a  life  away  from  home;  we  found  out 
that  when  she  was  with  us.  But  she  has  made  friends,  and 
among  them  I  know  one  who  is  at  this  moment  in  Frankfurt; 
he  is  winding  up  his  affairs  there,  that  he  may  be  free  to  go 
where  he  likes  and  take  his  rest.  I  am  speaking  of  my  friend, 
the  doctor,  who  came  over  here  in  the  autumn  and  who,  having 
well  considered  your  advice,  intends  to  settle  in  this  neighbor- 
hood, for  he  has  never  felt  so  well  and  happy  anywhere  as  in 
the  company  of  you  and  Heidi.  So  you  see  the  child  will 
henceforth  have  two  protectors  near  her — and  may  they  both 
live  long  to  share  the  task!" 

"God  grant  it  indeed  may  be  so!"  added  grandmamma, 
shaking  Uncle's  hand  warmly  as  she  spoke,  to  show  how  sin- 

f  372  1 


" 


"GOOD-BYE  TILL  WE  MEET  AGAIN" 

cerely  she  echoed  her  son's  wish.  Then  putting  her  arm  round 
Heidi,  who  was  standing  near,  she  drew  the  child  to  her. 

"And  I  have  a  question  to  ask  you  too,  dear  Heidi.  Tell  me 
if  there  is  anything  you  particularly  wish  for." 

"Yes,  there  is,"  answered  Heidi  promptly,  looking  up  de- 
lightedly at  grandmamma. 

"Then  tell  me  at  once,  dear,  what  it  is." 

"I  want  to  have  the  bed  I  slept  in  at  Frankfurt  with  the  high 
pillows  and  the  thick  coverlid,  and  then  grandmother  will  not 
have  to  lie  with  her  head  down  hill  and  hardly  able  to  breathe, 
and  she  will  be  warm  enough  under  the  coverlid  not  to  have  to 
wear  her  shawl  in  bed  to  prevent  her  freezing  to  death." 

In  her  eagerness  to  obtain  what  she  had  set  her  heart  upon 
Heidi  hardly  gave  herself  time  to  get  out  all  she  had  to  say,  and 
did  not  pause  for  breath  till  she  reached  the  end  of  her  sentence. 

"Dearest  child,"  answered  grandmamma,  moved  by  Heidi's 
speech,  "what  is  this  you  tell  me  of  grandmother!  You  are 
right  to  remind  me.  In  the  midst  of  our  own  happiness  we  for- 
get too  often  that  which  we  ought  to  remember  before  all 
things.  When  God  has  shown  us  some  special  mercy  we  should 
think  at  once  of  those  who  are  denied  so  many  things.  I  will 
telegraph  to  Frankfurt  at  once!  Fraulein  Rottenmeier  shall 
pack  up  the  bed  this  very  day,  and  it  will  be  here  in  two  days' 
time.  God  willing,  grandmother  shall  soon  be  sleeping  com- 
fortably upon  it." 

Heidi  skipped  round  grandmamma  in  her  glee,  and  then 
stopping  all  of  a  sudden,  said  quickly,  "I  must  make  haste 
down  and  tell  grandmother,  and  she  will  be  in  trouble  too  at 
my  not  having  been  to  see  her  for  such  a  long  time."  For  she 

[  373  ] 


HEIDI 

felt  she  could  not  wait  another  moment  before  carrying  the 
good  news  down  to  grandmother,  and,  moreover,  the  recollec- 
tion came  to  her  of  the  distress  the  old  woman  was  in  when  she 
last  saw  her. 

"No,  no,  Heidi,  what  can  you  be  thinking  of?"  said  her 
grandfather  reprovingly.  "You  can't  be  running  backwards 
and  forwards  like  that  when  you  have  visitors." 

But  grandmamma  interfered  on  Heidi's  behalf.  "The  child 
is  not  so  far  wrong,  Uncle,"  she  said,  "and  poor  grandmother 
has  too  long  been  deprived  of  Heidi  for  our  sakes.  Let  us  all  go 
down  to  her  together.  I  believe  my  horse  is  waiting  for  me  and 
I  can  ride  down  from  there,  and  as  soon  as  I  get  to  Dorfli  the 
message  shall  be  sent  off.  What  do  you  think  of  my  plan,  son?  " 

Herr  Sesemann  had  not  yet  had  time  to  speak  of  his  travel- 
ing plans,  so  he  begged  his  mother  to  wait  a  few  moments  that 
he  might  tell  her  what  he  proposed  doing. 

Herr  Sesemann  had  been  arranging  that  he  and  his  mother 
should  make  a  little  tour  in  Switzerland,  first  ascertaining  if 
Clara  was  in  a  fit  state  to  go  some  part  of  the  way  with  them. 
But  now  he  would  have  the  full  enjoyment  of  his  daughter's 
company,  and  that  being  so  he  did  not  want  to  miss  any  of 
these  beautiful  days  of  later  summer,  but  to  start  at  once  on 
the  journey  that  he  now  looked  forward  to  with  such  additional 
pleasure.  And  so  he  proposed  that  they  should  spend  the  night 
in  Dorfli  and  that  next  day  he  should  come  and  fetch  Clara, 
then  they  would  all  three  go  down  to  Ragatz  and  make  that 
their  starting  point. 

Clara  was  rather  upset  at  first  at  the  thought  of  saying  good- 
bye like  this  to  the  mountain;  she  could  not  help  being  pleased, 

[  374  ] 


"GOOD-BYE  TILL  WE  MEET  AGAIN" 

however,  at  the  prospect  of  the  journey,  and  no  time  was  al- 
lowed her  to  give  way  to  lamentation. 

Grandmamma  had  already  taken  Heidi  by  the  hand,  pre- 
paratory to  leading  the  way,  when  she  suddenly  turned.  "But 
what  is  to  become  of  Clara?"  she  asked,  remembering  all  at 
once  that  the  child  could  not  yet  take  so  long  a  walk.  She  gave 
a  nod  of  satisfaction  as  she  saw  that  Uncle  had  already  taken 
Clara  up  in  his  arms  and  was  following  her  with  sturdy  strides. 
Herr  Sesemann  brought  up  the  rear,  and  so  they  all  started 
down  the  mountain. 

Heidi  kept  jumping  for  joy  as  she  and  grandmamma  walked 
along  side  by  side,  and  grandmamma  asked  all  about  grand- 
mother, how  she  lived,  and  what  she  did,  especially  in  the 
winter  when  it  was  so  cold.  And  Heidi  gave  her  a  minute 
account  of  everything,  for  she  knew  all  that  went  on  at  grand- 
mother's, and  told  her  how  grandmother  sat  crouching  in  her 
corner  and  trembling  with  cold.  She  was  able  to  give  her  exact 
particulars  of  what  grandmother  had  and  had  not  to  eat. 
Grandmamma  listened  with  interest  and  sympathy  until 
they  came  to  Grandmother's.  Brigitta  was  just  hanging 
out  Peter's  second  shirt  in  the  sun,  so  that  he  might  have 
it  ready  to  put  on  when  he  had  worn  the  other  long  enough. 
As  soon  as  she  saw  the  company  approaching  she  rushed 
indoors. 

"The  whole  party  of  them  are  just  going  past,  mother,  evi- 
dently all  returning  home  again,"  she  informed  the  old  woman. 
"Uncle  is  with  them,  carrying  the  sick  child." 

"Alas!  is  it  really  to  be  so  then?"  sighed  the  grandmother. 
"And  you  saw  Heidi  with  them?   Then  they  are  taking  her 

[375] 


HEIDI 

away.  If  only  she  could  come  and  put  her  hand  in  mine  again ! 
If  I  could  but  hear  her  voice  once  more!" 

At  this  moment  the  door  flew  open  and  Heidi  sprang  across 
to  the  corner  and  threw  her  arms  round  grandmother. 

"Grandmother!  grandmother!  my  bed  is  to  be  sent  from 
Frankfurt  with  all  the  three  pillows  and  the  thick  coverlid; 
grandmamma  says  it  will  be  here  in  two  days."  Heidi  could  not 
get  out  her  words  quickly  enough,  for  she  was  impatient  to  see 
grandmother's  great  joy  at  the  news.  The  latter  smiled,  but 
said  a  little  sadly, — 

"She  must  indeed  be  a  good  kind  lady,  and  I  ought  to  be 
glad  to  think  she  is  taking  you  with  her,  but  I  shall  not  outlive 
it  long." 

"What  is  this  I  hear?  Who  has  been  telling  my  good  grand- 
mother such  tales?"  exclaimed  a  kindly  voice,  and  grand- 
mother felt  her  hand  taken  and  warmly  pressed,  for  grand- 
mamma had  followed  Heidi  in  and  heard  all  that  was  said. 
"No,  no,  there  is  no  thought  of  such  a  thing!  Heidi  is  going  to 
stay  with  you  and  make  you  happy.  We  want  to  see  her  again, 
but  we  shall  come  to  her.  We  hope  to  pay  a  visit  to  the  Aim 
every  year,  for  we  have  good  cause  to  offer  up  especial  thanks 
to  God  upon  this  spot  where  so  great  a  miracle  has  been 
wrought  upon  our  child." 

And  now  grandmother's  face  was  lighted  up  with  genuine 
happiness,  and  she  pressed  Frau  Sesemann's  hand  over  and 
over  again,  unable  to  speak  her  thanks,  while  two  large  tears  of 
joy  rolled  down  her  aged  cheeks.  And  Heidi  saw  the  glad 
change  come  over  grandmother's  face,  and  she  too  now  was 

entirely  happy. 

[  376  ] 


"GOOD-BYE  TILL  WE  MEET  AGAIN" 

She  clung  to  the  old  woman,  saying,  "Hasn't  it  all  come 
about,  grandmother,  just  like  the  hymn  I  read  to  you  last 
time?  Isn't  the  bed  from  Frankfurt  sent  to  make  you  well?" 

"Yes,  Heidi,  and  many,  many  other  good  things  too,  which 
God  has  sent  me,"  said  the  grandmother,  deeply  moved.  "I 
did  not  think  it  possible  that  there  were  so  many  kind  people, 
ready  to  trouble  themselves  about  a  poor  old  woman  and  to  do 
so  much  for  her.  Nothing  strengthens  our  belief  in  a  kind 
heavenly  Father  who  never  forgets  even  the  least  of  His  crea- 
tures so  much  as  to  know  that  there  are  such  people,  full  of 
goodness  and  pity  for  a  poor  useless  creature  such  as  I  am." 

"  My  good  grandmother,"  said  Frau  Sesemann,  interrupting 
her,  "we  are  all  equally  poor  and  helpless  in  the  eyes  of  God, 
and  all  have  equal  need  that  He  should  not  forget  us.  But  now 
we  must  say  good-bye,  but  only  till  we  meet  again,  for  when 
we  pay  our  next  year's  visit  to  the  Aim  you  will  be  the  first 
person  we  shall  come  and  see;  meanwhile  we  shall  not  forget 
you."  And  Frau  Sesemann  took  grandmother's  hand  again  and 
shook  it  in  farewell. 

But  grandmother  would  not  let  her  off  even  then  without 
more  words  of  gratitude,  and  without  calling  down  on  her 
benefactress  and  all  belonging  to  her  every  blessing  that  God 
had  to  bestow. 

At  last  Herr  Sesemann  and  his  mother  were  able  to  continue 
their  journey  downwards,  while  Uncle  carried  Clara  back 
home,  with  Heidi  beside  him,  so  full  of  joy  of  what  was  coming 
for  grandmother  that  every  step  was  a  jump. 

But  there  were  many  tears  shed  the  following  morning  by  the 
departing  Clara,  who  wept  to  say  good-bye  to  the  beautiful 

[377] 


HEIDI 

mountain  home  where  she  had  been  happier  than  ever  in  her 
life  before.  Heidi  did  her  best  to  comfort  her.  "Summer  will 
be  here  again  in  no  time,"  she  said,  "and  then  you  will  come 
again,  and  it  will  be  nicer  still,  for  you  will  be  able  to  walk 
about  from  the  beginning.  We  can  then  go  out  every  day  with 
the  goats  up  to  where  the  flowers  grow,  and  enjoy  ourselves 
from  the  moment  you  arrive." 

Herr  Sesemann  had  come  as  arranged  to  fetch  his  little 
daughter  away,  and  was  just  now  standing  and  talking  with 
Uncle,  for  they  had  much  to  say  to  one  another.  Clara  felt 
somewhat  consoled  by  Heidi's  words,  and  wiped  away  her 
tears. 

"Be  sure  you  say  good-bye  for  me  to  Peter  and  the  goats, 
and  especially  to  Little  Swan.  I  wish  I  could  give  Little  Swan 
a  present,  for  she  has  helped  so  much  to  make  me  strong." 

"Well,  you  can  if  you  like,"  replied  Heidi,  "send  her  a  little 
salt;  you  know  how  she  likes  to  lick  some  out  of  grandfather's 
hand  when  she  comes  home  at  night." 

Clara  was  delighted  at  this  idea.  "Oh,  then  I  shall  send  a 
hundred  pounds  of  salt  from  Frankfurt,  for  I  want  her  to  have 
something  as  a  remembrance  of  me." 

Herr  Sesemann  now  beckoned  to  the  children  as  it  was  time 
to  be  off.  Grandmamma's  white  horse  had  been  brought  up  for 
Clara,  as  she  was  no  longer  obliged  to  be  carried  in  a  chair. 

Heidi  ran  to  the  far  edge  of  the  slope  and  continued  to  wave 
her  hand  to  Clara  until  the  last  glimpse  of  horse  and  rider  had 
disappeared. 

And  now  the  bed  has  arrived,  and  grandmother  is  sleeping  so 
soundly  all  night  that  she  is  sure  to  grow  stronger. 

[378] 


"GOOD-BYE  TILL  WE  MEET  AGAIN" 

Grandmamma,  moreover,  has  not  forgotten  how  cold  the 
winter  is  on  the  mountain.  She  has  sent  a  large  parcel  of  warm 
clothing  of  every  description,  so  that  grandmother  can  wrap 
herself  round  and  round,  and  will  certainly  not  tremble  with 
cold  now  as  she  sits  in  her  corner. 

There  is  a  great  deal  of  building  going  on  at  Dbrfli.  The 
doctor  has  arrived,  and,  for  the  present,  is  occupying  his  old 
quarters.  His  friends  have  advised  him  to  buy  the  old  house 
that  Uncle  and  Heidi  live  in  during  the  winter,  which  had  evi- 
dently, judging  from  the  height  of  the  rooms  and  the  magnifi- 
cent stove  with  its  artistically  painted  tiles,  been  a  fine  gentle- 
man's place  at  one  time.  The  doctor  is  having  this  part  of  the 
old  house  rebuilt  for  himself,  the  other  part  being  repaired  for 
Uncle  and  Heidi,  for  the  doctor  is  aware  that  Uncle  is  a  man 
of  independent  spirit,  who  likes  to  have  a  house  to  himself. 
Quite  at  the  back  a  warm  and  well-walled  stall  is  being  put  up 
for  the  two  goats,  and  there  they  will  pass  their  winter  in  com- 
fort. 

The  doctor  and  Uncle  are  becoming  better  friends  every  day, 
and  as  they  walk  about  the  new  buildings  to  see  how  they  are 
getting  on,  their  thoughts  continually  turn  to  Heidi,  for  the 
chief  pleasure  to  each  in  connection  with  the  house  is  that  they 
will  have  the  light-hearted  little  child  with  them  there. 

"Dear  friend,"  said  the  doctor  on  one  of  these  occasions  as 
they  were  standing  together,  "you  will  see  this  matter  in  the 
same  light  as  I  do,  I  am  sure.  I  share  your  happiness  in  the 
child  as  if,  next  to  you,  I  was  the  one  to  whom  she  most  closely 
belonged,  but  I  wish  also  to  share  all  responsibilities  concern- 
ing her  and  to  do  my  best  for  the  child.  I  shall  then  feel  I  have 

[379  ] 


HEIDI 

my  rights  in  her,  and  shall  look  forward  to  her  being  with  me 
and  caring  for  me  in  my  old  age,  which  is  the  one  great  wish  of 
my  heart.  She  will  have  the  same  claims  upon  me  as  if  she 
were  my  own  child,  and  I  shall  provide  for  her  as  such,  and  so 
we  shall  be  able  to  leave  her  without  anxiety  when  the  day 
comes  that  you  and  I  must  go." 

Uncle  did  not  speak,  but  he  clasped  the  doctor's  hand  in  his, 
and  his  good  friend  could  read  in  the  old  man's  eyes  how  greatly 
moved  he  was  and  how  glad  and  grateful  he  felt. 

Heidi  and  Peter  were  at  this  moment  sitting  with  grand- 
mother, and  the  one  had  so  much  to  relate,  and  the  others  to 
listen  to,  that  they  all  three  got  closer  and  closer  to  one  another, 
hardly  able  to  breathe  in  their  eagerness  not  to  miss  a  word. 

And  how  much  there  was  to  tell  of  all  the  events  that  had 
taken  place  that  last  summer,  for  they  had  not  had  many  op- 
portunities of  meeting  since  then. 

And  it  was  difficult  to  say  which  of  the  three  looked  the 
happiest  at  being  together  again,  and  at  the  recollection  of  all 
the  wonderful  things  that  had  happened.  Mother  Brigitta's 
face  was  perhaps  the  happiest  of  all,  as  now,  with  the  help  of 
Heidi's  explanation,  she  was  able  to  understand  for  the  first 
time  the  history  of  Peter's  weekly  penny  for  life. 

Then  at  last  the  grandmother  spoke,  "Heidi,  read  me  one  of 
the  hymns !  I  feel  I  can  do  nothing  for  the  remainder  of  my  life 
but  thank  the  Father  in  Heaven  for  all  the  mercies  He  has 
shown  us!" 


[380] 


▼;•£-*.-  *- 


